April02 2014 Issue

Etera

Eastfield College

Eastfield student goes Beast Mode at night ➤ Page 8

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Volume 45, Issue 10

2

NEWS

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

PUT IT ON YOUR

Calendar April

Wed

02

The Wednesday Recital Series will feature the DAC Trio of Danny Mouledous, Alfred Mouledous and Cecil Tippetts from 12:30 to 1:50 p.m. in F-117.

Thu

Mathematics professor Sharon Johnson will host a college algebra review for sections 4.1 to 4.3 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in L-208.

Tue

Having trouble getting accustomed to using MLA format? Shayn Davenport will hold an MLA Style Citation Review workshop from 2:30-3:30 p.m. in L-208.

Wed

The Wednesday Recital Series will feature the Vocal Honors Recital with director Melinda Imthurn and pianists Eunice Tavaglione and Susan Rainbolt from 12:30-1:50 p.m. in F-117

03 08 09 Thu

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Having trouble getting accustomed to using MLA format? Tiffany Caronna will hold a Formatting MLA Style with Microsoft Word workshop from 2:30-3:30 p.m. in L-108C. Not fully grasping the concepts? Get that extra help you need. Ashley Kelly will host a College Algebra Review for sections 4.4 to 4.5 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in L-208.

DCCCD Chancellor Dr. Joe May will visit campus from 2 to 4 p.m. in S-100/101 area. The event will include a reception, remarks from May and a campus tour.

Mon

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Discuss this year’s Common Book, “One Amazing Thing,” with others in the One Amazing Thing Book Club from 12:301:30 p.m. in the library.

Find more time to play by learning a guaranteed textbook study system to get your “A,” presented by professor John Garcia, a Harvard graduate, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in L-208.

ABOUT THE COVER PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JONATHAN WENCES AND AKI OHASHI

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The Et Cetera

Extinguishing flames

Kayea tackles working in man’s world as battalion chief

By JUSTIN DAVID TATE etc4640@dcccd.edu

Firefighter Tami Kayea had just put out her first fire. Now, she needed to pull down the ceiling to make sure there were no more flames.

Grabbing a pike pole, a long instrument with a hook at the end, she jabbed at the wooden shiplap ceiling in the dilapidated South Dallas home, but it didn’t budge. She continued to try, but her efforts were in vain.

Kayea took off her fire pack and placed it on the fire truck. The young firefighter thought to herself, “Oh my gosh! What have I done? I’ve gotten into a career I can’t do.”

Then a short, stout middle-aged man Kayea had never met before approached her.

“Sister, I know what you’re thinking,” he said.

“You’re thinking that because you’re a female, you can’t do this.”

She looked at him, wondering how he knew.

“Well, you’re wrong. It’s because you’re short like I am,” he said. “You’ve just got to learn the technique. When you’re shorter than a lot of these guys, it just takes the right technique.”

The words from Dallas Fire Lt. August Galli inspired Kayea to continue working her way up the ladder of a male-dominated profession.

Today, she is a battalion chief for the Dallas FireRescue Department, only the third woman in the city’s history to achieve such a position.

Kayea was one of five women who spoke at Eastfield’s “Women of Courage” event on March 18, which was part of the college’s celebration of Women’s History Month.

The event also featured Eastfield student and U.S. Army Sgt. Krystal Lacey-Fuller, retired FBI agent Lori E. Bailey and two police officers from the TLC reality series, “Police Women of Dallas,” Police Sgt. Tracy Jones and police officer Yvette Gonzalez.

Kayea, like the other women on the panel, has successfully navigated a role traditionally filled by a man. Growing up, her hero was her father, a thirdgeneration firefighter. But she never dreamed she could continue her family’s firefighting legacy. The general belief was that firefighters were fireMEN, not women.

Kayea didn’t consider continuing the family firefighting tradition until 1993 when, at age 22, she lost her job teaching English at R.L. Turner High School in Carrollton.

Her knowledge of emergency medical services from her time in a paramedic school program that is now a part of Brookhaven College gave her an advantage over the competition. Firefighters are expected to be EMTs as much as they are firefighters.

Academics had always been Kayea’s strength. It was the physical part of the job that concerned her at first, but she persevered, helping her crew earn Hothouse of the Year in 1998.

“Our crew fought more fires than any other crew in Dallas, and we’re the busiest department in the

JONATHAN WENCES/THE ET CETERA

Tami Kayea is a battalion chief with the Dallas Fire-Rescue Department.

U.S.,” Kayea said. “My dad said I probably fought more fire in that year than he did in his 28-year career.”

However, Kayea believes fighting fires doesn’t take as much courage as speaking to those who survive the aftermath.

“What really took more courage was learning to be vulnerable because there’s a lot of that that’s required,” she said. “It’s going up to that family who just watched their house burn down and trying to do what little you can to help them at that point.

It’s talking to that husband or wife who just lost their loved one of 40 years and know they’re going to spend their golden years alone. You got to make yourself vulnerable. It’s looking at those parents and telling them their child’s dead and you can’t do anything. That’s where the courage is. That’s hard for a lot of people. It’s hard to talk to people in those situations.”

With her displays of courage and skills as both an EMT and firefighter, Kayea advanced faster than many of her peers, rising to battalion chief in 13 years. This is a position that can take decades to reach.

“A friend of mine who’s been on [as a firefighter] almost 30 years, he just made battalion chief last year,” retired firefighter and paramedic Gerald Perry said. “The average would probably be somewhere between 15 and 20 years to obtain that rank, so she’s well under the curve on that.”

She has her sights set even higher. Two years ago, a newly created assistant chief of EMS position opened. A deputy chief position was also up for grabs.

Kayea was told by her peers and higher ups that she was a lock for one of the positions, but she was passed up for both. A captain who expressed to her

that he didn’t enjoy EMS work nabbed one of the open slots. His rank, experience and knowledge in EMS were greater, according to Perry.

“I was amazed that she didn’t get that position,” Perry said. “She was very qualified, I thought.”

Dr. Glynn Newman, a political science professor who attended the panel discussion, said he identified with Kayea’s concern about being unable to break through the “glass ceiling” in her occupation.

The glass ceiling is a term coined to describe the barrier many women and minorities face while seeking to rise to prominent positions in their industry. “[The problem is a] lack of support,” Newman said. “You can’t get the training. You can’t get the skillset that you need because there’s nobody there to support you.”

Kayea was devastated to be passed up for the positions, but she continues to keep working and believing her time will come. She has a master’s degree in management leadership and will finish the National Fire Academy of Maryland, a four-year program run by Homeland Security, in August.

Today, Kayea mentors young firefighters, many of whom come ready to face the fire, but aren’t prepared for paramedic work.

“Most of the people, when they first get hired on, are normally more concerned with the paramedic side,” Kayea said. “It’s much more academically challenging and requires having to really learn and apply a lot of education.”

Her advice to female students who may want to follow in her footsteps is to make sure they really want the position, because it is a demanding career.

“It’s not like the guys where they say, ‘Well I’m going to try it,’ because it is physically demanding,” Kayea said. “We don’t have the natural physical strength.

You’ve got to really want it. You’ve got to work at it.”

NEWS

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The Et Cetera

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Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Panelists discuss challenges women face

By EMMA HAHN etc4640@dcccd.edu

On average, women only earn about 77 cents to every man’s dollar. Women are also far less likely than men to work in corporate leadership positions. These, and many other issues regarding gender discrimination, brought five panelists together March 26 to discuss how women can overcome these gender-based barriers.

The panelists had different backgrounds, but had one thing in common: success. They included Rachel Wolf, dean of Arts, Language and Literature; Sharon Johnson, mathematics professor; Dr. Jean Conway, college president; Dr. Elizabeth Nava, local dentist; and Stephanie Dibble, auto body professor. The event, which was part of the college’s Women’s History Month celebration, was moderated by College Readiness Associate Dean Judith Dumont.

The panelists agreed that women have just as much potential as men to do well in life, but society has weighed them down with labels and outdated gender rolls.

Conway, quoted the late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher — “If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman” — and noted that it’s important for women to find their voice and be more assertive.

“We don’t know how to talk without being too soft, and people not really hearing us, or perhaps being too strong and sounding like that B word,” she said. “I don’t know if you all have

Conway’s advice for girls and women

MIGUEL PADILLA/THE ET CETERA

The women’s panel included (from left), Sharon Johnson, Dr. Jean Conway, Dr. Elizabeth Nava and Stephanie Dibble.

had this happen, but you can be in a meeting and make a suggestion or a comment, and five minutes later, a man makes the same comment, and everyone goes ‘That’s a great idea!’ And you go, ‘Wait a minute, I said that five minutes ago.’

And everybody laughs, but it happens over and over again.”

Nava explained that her background could have slowed her down, but she didn’t let it.

“As a child growing up in Mexico, I saw my mother working all the time at home, raising us,” cooking and cleaning,” she said. “I decided at that point that I would never be like my mother. Not because she was a bad person, but because she didn’t deserve doing all of what she was doing. I really pursued being an educated woman just for that point.”

Dibble and her two siblings grew up with a single mom and struggled with poverty.

“My mom did finish high school, but she had me in her senior year,” she said. “She had to work immensely [hard]. She tried to go to college, but determined that it was just too difficult. I remember days as a kid, when I was helping raise my siblings, we would have oatmeal for a week. That was all we had. And she was working so hard.”

Johnson’s mother was also a single mother raising six children.

“I watched my mom work extremely hard to support her family,” she said. “And I didn’t want to work that hard, but I wanted to make a difference at the same time. So education was my key to success. Just to have a better life.”

1. Find your voice. Girls should learn to order their own food, raise their hands in class and volunteer for leadership positions.

2. Stop apologizing. Don’t start sentences with “I’m sorry, but ...”

Role-playing can help.

3. Speak strongly without yelling. Women should find their strong, clear voice.

4. Make statements. Don’t pose ideas as questions 5. Say “I believe,” not “I think.” It’s stronger.

Johnson didn’t originally want to be a math teacher, but she was inspired by a teacher.

“There were naysayers, but I knew I could do it, because I had that one teacher who said ‘Never give up, you can do this,’” she said.

Brianna Bice, an Eastfield student, said she found the panel discussion empowering.

“It gave an actual look at how far we’ve come and how far we have to go,” she said. “To see so many women that have accomplished so much, and have done it with so much on their plate, it makes you think, ‘If they can do it, than I can do it, too.’ ” Conway said women face challenges when trying to balance their families and careers.

“Most of the time, we can have it all, but we may not be able to do everything at once,” Conway said. “Sometimes we put really heavy expectations on ourselves.”

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Wednesday, April 2, 2014

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The Et Cetera

Hathaway named new associate dean

By BILLY DENNIS etc4640@dcccd.edu

Sheneika Hathaway never thought she would become an educator. However, from an early age, her family instilled in her the importance of a quality education.

Originally from Jamaica, Hathaway moved to the United States with her family at the age of 7, first settling in Maryland and then New York.

“When my family migrated here, education was a way of getting ahead in life,” said Hathaway, who was recently named a new associate dean of Arts, Language and Literature.

Her parents encouraged her to excel at her studies for different reasons.

Her mother’s side of the family was full of teachers. However, her father’s family did not have access to a proper education. They saw graduation as the end point, if they even made it that far. Growing up on farms in Jamaica, teenagers often had to quit school to help make ends meet.

Because her father didn’t have an opportunity for a quality education, he made sure Hathaway did. He lived out his dreams through his daughter.

“I had no choice but to be a good student,” she said. “My family instilled in me the value of being a hard worker.”

Hathaway is a graduate of West Virginia University, where she went on to earn two master’s degrees, one in Spanish and another in

LUZETTE PORTILLO/THE ET CETERA

Sheneika Hathaway, who has worked at Eastfield for four years, is the new associate dean of the Arts, Language and Literature division.

human resources.

She has worked at Eastfield for four years.

She was the founding adviser in the ELLA Center and has taught Spanish courses both in the classroom and in online settings.

She has earned a reputation for being someone who will get the job done while working well with others.

“She is very adaptable and willing to learn,”

said Dr. Oscar Passley, music program coordinator. “She is a quick learner because she wants to learn. She is an amazing team player.”

Hathaway said one of her strengths is her interpersonal skills. She considers herself a cheerleader for her students and colleagues. Working with a myriad of different personalities, she finds a way to bring the team together.

That kind of leader was exactly what the

search committee was looking for in their hunt for a new associate dean, according to Dean of Arts, Language and Literature Rachel Wolf. She said many of the other candidates were stellar in their own regard, but Hathaway rose above the others.

“What makes her stand out and what she has demonstrated,” Wolf said, “is a high level of professionalism, creativity, integrity and a very, very strong work ethic.”

In addition to helping her colleagues, Hathaway sees herself as an advocate for students, wanting to make sure they get the best out of their experience at Eastfield.

“One thing that I do believe that’ll help students become successful is having an open and honest dialogue [with them],” Hathaway said.

“When you’re open and honest with students, they will be more willing to share certain things that might be going on in their life.”

Hathaway also understands the importance of diversity and how that can help students succeed.

She would like to see students become more immersed in other cultures, but understands that’s not easy for some students.

“I want to work with the ELLA Center to increase the international student population,” Hathaway said. “I think diversity opens up people’s minds to new ideas, new concepts and a new way of thinking. ... Having a diverse student population on campus will actually be better for our students.”

Reading suffers decline as technology takes off

By MORGAN CORLEY etc4640@dcccd.edu

Learning to read is a major step in life.

Reading opens your mind to a rich history of recorded human thoughts and emotions.

Countless studies extol the benefits of reading. So why aren’t more people doing it?

Is reading dead, or simply on hiatus?

This decline in reading has been noted by many in the academic community, including Eastfield instructors.

“I don’t know if it’s gotten worse in the last five to six years,” English professor Michael Morris said. “It certainly seems so. It wasn’t good before. Most students don’t read unless they have a vested interest in doing so.”

Faculty members aren’t the only ones who have noticed the decline.

“I think it’s going to continue,” said education major Aronda Frederick, who said she expects the next generation to lose even more interest in traditional books.

Some students believe that because children are surrounded by technology at an early age, the popularity of reading will continue to suffer.

However, not everyone is as doubtful.

“I think it will maintain and hopefully, pick back up,” kinesthesiology major Candace Darden said.

Even if students aren’t reading much for pleasure right now, they still see the value in it.

“I think it expands your vocabulary and it keeps your mind working,” Darden said.

“When you’re an adult and you’re not in school, it’s nice to have something to keep your mind active.”

Eastfield faculty encourage students to read more, but they aren’t always successful.

“They’re not reading very much,” Morris said. “Most students don’t even read the assignments they’re given in class, even classes that are for their majors.”

Eastfield faculty have their own theories about the benefits of reading.

“The brain is like a muscle ­— you have to work it out,” music professor Karl Lampman said. “Let’s say you were going to watch something on TV or read the same thing.

Watching it would be like low-impact exercise, but reading would actually be like getting in there and working out the muscles.”

Morris believes there are many reasons for the decline of reading.

“There’s not a social incentive, there’s not a family incentive and a lot of times there’s not a school incentive to read beyond what [students] have to do,” he said. “One of the reasons students don’t read is because their parents didn’t read.

Morris said most students are unable to devote time to reading books.

“While in school a lot of their reading has been in short bursts,” he said. “For example: standardized tests, barrier exams, they’ll have three or four paragraphs and they can handle that.”

Today, instead of the focus being put on books and other printed works, it’s being put on electronic publications. According to a 2012 study by the Pew Research Center, 47 percent of younger Americans age 16 to 29 “read long-form e-content such as books, magazines or newspapers.”

Morris said that he finds the fact that students are still reading off their personal devices is a good sign.

“I see it as a positive thing, as long as education can keep up with it,” he said.

KEVIN CUSHINGBERRY/THE ET CETERA

Mechanical engineering major Pablo Ortega reads “One Amazing Thing” by Chitra Divakaruni, the college’s Common Book for this school year, on his iPad mini.

NEWS

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POWER OF PRAYER

The Et Cetera

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Former student brings passion for faith to campus

By GERENEICIA FOSTER etc4640@dcccd.edu

Prayer is often thought to be a sacred act and is most commonly performed in the confines of a holy place. But Shahrukh Khan is trying a different approach. He is accepting prayer requests on campus.

Since Feb. 25, Khan has been sitting at a table above the Pit in the C building with his Bible, “Matthew Henry’s Commentary,” and a sign that simply reads “Prayer Requests.” He also has several pieces of paper and pens handy for anyone who wants to jot down a request.

He sits silently, studying his books while waiting for someone to stop and inquire about prayer.

Khan has received at least 45 written prayers and has verbally prayed with about 50 students since he began. He said the prayers range in their complexity. Some have prayed for help passing a math test, while others asked for help with relieving stress or bringing peace to a dying relative.

He wants people to know that prayer doesn’t have to be fancy, it just has to be sincere.

“Sometimes prayer doesn’t need any words at all,” he said. “It could be a teardrop that is a prayer. [God] not only sees your tears, but He hears them, too. Every one of those tears mean something, and He knows what it means. And if you don’t know how to pray, just start out saying, ‘Father, teach me how to pray.’ ” Khan wasn’t always so passionate about prayer or so confident in his faith. He grew up in the church and attended regular services, but he didn’t live the life of a Christian. Like most young adults, he enjoyed partying and having a good time.

But a trip to Dubai last fall helped him become a more dedicated Christian. He went abroad to study and visit his Muslim family. While there, he learned a lot about Islam. He even went to their mosque and prayed five times a day. But his heart was never in it.

During the daily prayers, Khan began praying to the Christian God. His family knew he was a Christian, so they tried to convert him and constantly challenged his faith. That was when he realized he needed to make some changes in his life.

“I could tell them [about Christianity] from my knowledge growing up in the church, but it wasn’t meaningful,” Khan said. “I realized that if I’m going to share this message of Christ, this gospel, this good news, then I have to start making it real in my life.”

Khan said he realized he needed to pray more and challenged himself to do so. He wanted to know what it meant to “hearken his heart toward God’s commandments and his statutes.”

Khan said the Lord spoke to him and told him to come to Eastfield and see if anyone was in need of prayer or just wanted to get something off their chest.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

NEWS

Briefs Registration deadline nears for spring graduation ceremony

Students have until April 4 to register for the May 10 graduation ceremony at the Curtis Culwell Center.

Applications for spring graduates must have been submitted by March 14.

DCCCD chancellor Dr. Joe May to visit campus on April 10

New DCCCD Chancellor Dr. Joe May will visit the college from 2 to 4 p.m. on April 10. A reception will be held in the S-100/101 area at 2 p.m., followed by a Q&A session at 2:15 and a limited tour of the campus.

Academic Advising Week offers free workshops to students

PHOTO BY GERENEICIA FOSTER/THE ET CETERA

Shahrukh Khan began taking prayer requests since February and hasn’t stopped yet.

Khan believes prayer is important for everyone regardless of faith. He said it is a gift to be able to speak directly to the heavenly father.

“A lot of challenges that we have throughout the church and just in life in general can be solved through prayer,” he said. “Just pray about it. We have that ability to talk to our heavenly father. It’s communication. It’s a way to get clarity on the things you’re going through. Things that just have so much complexity to them that you need to see through the fog and look for that lighthouse.”

Khan said he draws inspiration from the Bible.

Certain books and stories about the old prophets are also encouraging.

“I love Romans Chapter 8 because it starts out that there is no more condemnation for those who abide in Christ or those who love him,” he said. “I love that because it’s encouragement [and] no matter what you did, if you’re chasing the Spirit, you can’t be condemned. I look at Moses and all of the old prophets and men of God, and you’ll notice that they do all of these great works, but they do slip up from time to time. I think those stories give us encouragement today that you might have sinned, you might have turned completely from God, but it doesn’t matter.”

Khan said students and faculty have been receptive to the idea of prayer on campus. Many have told him that his approach is “awesome.”

Learning Frameworks professor Dr. Jonathan Michelon said the spiritual side is often the “missing realm” in college.

“I feel like we need more spirituality at all levels in communication,” he said, “and for somebody to offer a simple approach with the supernatural, with God, it’s very powerful. We only take into

consideration the cognitive part of the students and we forget the other parts.”

Khan said his background in political science and debate helped him become bolder in discussing his faith.

“I started reading the Bible and I loved debating,” he said. “Then I realized that this is something I know in my heart to be true, so why not debate about Christianity, the message of Christ, and be able to defend it?”

Khan hasn’t seen any opposition to his prayer.

Although he said people have approached them with different beliefs, they still understand the necessity of prayer.

“I have met a few individuals, and though we had different stances on Christianity, we could conclude that there is indispensability in prayer regarding the spirituality of our being,” he said.

Gloria Pendyala, the wife of Khan’s youth minister, believes his mission might inspire other students to be bold in their faith.

“I think that’s what God calls us to do, and if people see that [Khan] is not afraid to pray in public, I think people will become curious and will want to ask questions,” she said.

Student Adama Samba said it takes a lot of courage to offer prayer requests on campus. It also hit home with her because she enjoys praying in nontraditional settings.

“I think prayer is always needed because God is everywhere,” she said. “He is not restricted to just one geographic location. And I feel like people need to know that because some people just feel like it can be done in a church setting. I think it’s a real blessing to know that you can talk to God anywhere and He will always listen.”

The spring Academic Advising Week will offer free workshops to students from April 7-10.

Subjects will include online registration, the transfer process, researching college majors and meeting with academic advisers.

For more information, visit the Academic Advising Office in C-120 or call 972-860-7106.

Women’s History Month trivia contest continues

Entries for the Women’s History Month trivia contest must be submitted to the library on or before April 11.

Winners will be notified by email on April 14.

G building smoke forces students, faculty to evacuate

On March 24, students and faculty were forced to evacuate after a blown fuse in the G building caused a fire. No one was injured, and damage was minimal.

Be the Change annual day of service will be April 12

Hosted by the Texas Trees Foundation, the Be the Change annual day of service will take place from 8:30 a.m. until noon on April 12.

Volunteers will spend the morning planting trees and ridding Dallas’ urban forests of litter.

Students can register at dcccd.edu/ bethechange for this free community service opportunity.

— Compiled by Caitlin Piper

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Wednesday, April 2, 2014

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Academic apps

By ROBERT BURNS etc4640@dcccd.edu

The Et Cetera

Useful tools on smartphones, tablets help students to study

Cellphones are our constant companions. We take them everywhere we go, using them primarily for frivolous things like surfing the web at the doctor’s office or playing games in the Pit while waiting for our next class. But our mobile devices are capable of so much more.

We tried out nine mobile apps that can help you increase your productivity. Here’s what we found:

Blackboard Mobile Learn

This is a companion app to the eCampus website used by students daily.

Pros: This app has almost all the functionality of the website. You can see assignments and tests that have been posted through Blackboard, and you can access any documents your professor might have uploaded, such as the syllabus. It has push updates, so you get a notification when there is a new assignment or grade to be viewed and when an assignment or test is late. It can also link to your Dropbox account so you can download files from the app to your Dropbox to view later.

Cons: Not everything gets updated. We noticed the latest posts from professors were on the Blackboard website but were missing from the app. This might cause students to miss assignments, so it is still wise to check the website regularly.

User feedback: “It really helps me keep up with my classes and tasks.” — Student Patrick Rhodes

Dropbox

This app lets students share files across all devices.

Pros: Dropbox is instant. When you upload a file to your PC, laptop or tablet, it will show up instantly on your phone. You can also use it with the Blackboard Mobile Learn app to upload files to eCampus.

Cons: Students may need third-party programs to open files on their phone if they aren’t supported in the app.

User feedback: “It works really well and is convenient to have.” — Student Jeanette Palafox

Polaris Office 5

This app is an Office suite on your phone. Students can create Word documents, spreadsheets and slideshow presentations.

Pros: Polaris has everything you’d expect from an Office suite. The Word documents have spellcheck, and you can change the size and color of the font and format paragraphs.

The slideshow option lets students drop photos into presentations and add charts and graphs. There is also a spreadsheet where students can add formulas, create graphs and charts, and keep track of finances.

Cons: Editing can be difficult. Sometimes, you’ll click on a box and the one beneath it flips over, and pretty soon your whole document is ruined.

User feedback: “I use it for PowerPoint

presentations and for Word documents. It’s good for on the go.” — Engineering major Kevin Grey

have a professor who writes long, complicated notes on the board, take a picture and store it in your notes. It uses Microsoft Sky Drive or One Drive to upload to the cloud.

Cons: The app doesn’t do much beyond note taking, and you can’t use any other cloud services. You also can’t use this app at all if you don’t have a Microsoft account.

User feedback: “I don’t have any complaints about it. I use it a lot to take notes.”

— Student Diego Luna

Merrriam-Webster

This app brings the Merriam-Webster dictionary and thesaurus to your mobile phone.

Pros: It’s easy to switch from thesaurus to dictionary mode with just a tap. The app features voice search for phones that support it and the ability to sound words out loud. It can also save favorite words and shows recent words you looked up.

Cons: The voice recognition doesn’t always understand what you’re saying.

User feedback: “I especially use it for English class.” — Student Pamela Pedraza

EFC Library

The official app of the Eastfield library allows students to browse the catalog and see what items are available.

Mathway

This app provides answers to basic math, pre-algebra, algebra, precalculus, calculus, trigonometry and statistics problems.

Pros: After you choose a subject from the main menu, the app brings up a calculator that allows you to input math problems. The virtual keyboard is detailed and gives you everything you need to solve problems relevant to the selected subject. The best thing about Mathway is it gives you example formulas with names and even gives you the option to solve various sections in the formulas.

Cons: The biggest drawback is the app’s huge paywall surrounding a key bit of knowledge: How did they arrive at the answer? If you want to know how to solve a problem, you’ll have to fork over $9.99 per week to access information for just one subject. If you want all the subjects Mathway offers, it will cost you $14.99 a week or $59.99 per year.

The free portion is also ad supported, so there is an annoying ad that flashes constantly at the top of the app.

User feedback: “It’s nice having all the formulas right at your fingertips.” — Student Patrick Gales

DCCCD

The official app of the Dallas County Community College District basically gathers all of the district-related web services in one place.

Pros: Students can access financial aid information, browse course schedules and log on to eConnect, eCampus and myPortal. They can also browse photos of district

events, view YouTube videos of student and faculty testimonials and visit a calendar with district events. Other useful features include a button that calls the campus police dispatcher, which might be handy during an emergency, and a map of all district campuses.

Cons: Most of the features can be found elsewhere, which makes the app more of a convenience than anything. The news section is also a year out of date.

User feedback: “Easy access to eCampus, eConnect, myPortal and browsing for courses are some of the top features. Students can also search the college libraries, have easy access to college maps, news and events along with quick access to DCCCD police, student services, financial aid and contact information.” — DCCCD website content coordinator Jonathan Blundell

OneNote

This is a simple note-taking app that utilizes the cloud to allow portability across devices.

Pros: The neat thing is how easy it is to format notes while taking them. Buttons will indent paragraphs and add bullet points next to key facts. It even has a function that puts a check box next to a note, allowing you to check items off your list. You can also take pictures and add them to your notes. If you

Pros: Students can request that a book be put on hold so they can pick it up at their convenience. They can also request to have books transferred from other DCCCD libraries to Eastfield. Another neat feature is the ability to scan the barcode of a book to check its availability in the library. If the book isn’t available, the app suggests online retailers where it can be purchased.

Cons: The application is a little buggy.

Some sections won’t load sometimes. On our test drive, the Common Book section crashed. Some additional functionality would also be nice, like a citation function within the app.

User feedback: “We also have a touchto-call feature that calls the reference desk for reference and research help.” — Librarian Kwashawn Barnett

Chegg

Chegg lets you buy or rent textbooks and access other student services.

Pros: In addition to buying physical textbooks and e-books, students can get help with their homework. If you have a problem that needs solving, click on the “Find solutions to questions” button to access a usersupplied answer. You are allowed two questions each week for free. If you have more questions you will need to upgrade your account to Chegg Study, which allows you unlimited questions for $14.95 per month or $74.95 per year.

Cons: Two questions a week isn’t very many. There is also an annoying banner ad at the top.

User feedback: “I use it for physics because that is really complicated. The step-bystep solutions are really handy.” — Computer engineering major Colt Edwards

Life&Arts

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Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Artists expand boundaries in Border Land

By DAVID RAMIREZ etc4640@dcccd.edu

Casey McGuire and Lindsay Palmer enjoy gathering objects found in the street or from foreclosed homes to use in their artwork. It’s not only a creative way to use everyday objects for art, but it’s also useful when on a budget.

What separates the artists from each other is the way that they express their creativity.

Eastfield is featuring an art gallery exhibition — “Border Land” — that consists of a collaboration by McGuire and Palmer, who are expressing their ideas of boundaries and how they reflect in a rapidly changing world.

“This show really provokes one to think about both literal and metaphorical borders,” said Iris Bechtol, gallery director and art professor. “With everything that goes on in the world, borders are an important thing to look at.”

Students can check out “Border Land” from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through April 4 in the H building, which is located between the F and C buildings.

McGuire and Palmer started presenting together three years ago. They met in graduate school and discovered that they shared similarities in their art goals and styles.

“Collaborations are the best because the most amazing things happen and it opens up your mind while your ideas are always growing,” said Palmer.

“We rely on each other’s strengths and differences,” McGuire added.

Art major and sophomore Luis Ruiz said he appreciates the artists’ exhibit.

“I do value the work and effort that the artists put into their art,” Ruiz said. “Their backstory and description of art was well thought out.”

Palmer displays this concept of borders through her sculptures of walls. She has a

UPCOMING EVENTS ARTIST TALK Sarah Welch, comics writer and artist April 23, 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Room TBA OPENING RECEPTION No Restraint: Activist Zines and Comics Curated by Iris Bechtol and Josh Rose Featuring comics, zines,and original art April 24, 6 - 8:30 p.m., H Gallery (H100) PHOTOS BY JESSICA GARCIA / THE ET CETERA

Lindsay Palmer (left) and Casey McGuire (above) have been presenting together for three years. The Border Land exhibit is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through April 4 in the H building.

strong influence from theater sets. She enjoys using threads and cloth-like materials.

“Have the courage to try something different and it can be really remarkable,” she said. “Be comfortable with your own sense of achievement. Do not try to impress others.”

McGuire’s sculpture in the gallery had a concept of “luring” the viewer into a trap.

“I like my viewer to be immersed by my artwork,” McGuire said.

Palmer said art boosts learning, and also provides social and emotional learning.

“Art can be a center hub toward other areas of study such as math and science,” said McGuire.

McGuire and Palmer have some advice for upcoming artists.

“Thinking outside the boundaries. You shouldn’t be trapped in society,” Palmer said.

“Create your own job. Have the courage to try something different and it can be really rewarding. Do not try to impress others and you can really be comfortable with your own sense of achievement. Being bitter will destroy you as an artist. Make friends and keep them.

Find people you like.”

Palmer and McGuire said art shouldn’t be about making money, but about doing what you love and making a difference in the art world.

“Happiness is the journey, not the goal,” McGuire said. “Try everything, do everything and travel a lot. Find your own venues when displaying your art. Propel your work. It helps having a community and working with other artists.”

They believe that art is limitless and knows no boundaries.

GUEST LECTURE David Hopkins Historical and Social Impact of Women Superheroes April 28, 10:10 - 11:05 a.m., G101 GUEST LECTURE Sally Glass, artist and founder of local arts magazine Semigloss April 29, 9:30 - 10:30 a.m., G101 Nia King, artist and activist April 29, 11 a.m. - 12:20 p.m.,G101 ZINE WORKSHOP Artists Shannon Driscoll and Jessica Sinks April 30, 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m., G101 CLOSING RECEPTION So Fresh Student Art Exhibition May 1, 5:30 - 7 p.m.,Gallery 219 (F219C)

Free Man: Cajun food with a side of blues

By COREY PAUL etc4640@dcccd.edu

Dallas is a big place, and its most unique attractions can be overlooked by the eye of the untrained city slicker.

Located in the heart of Deep Ellum, the Free Man Cajun Cafe & Lounge is an authentic cajun food experience. With lunch specials only $7.95, you can treat yourself to homemade blackened catfish or cajun brisket with rice, veggies, cornbread and gravy.

As if that isn’t good enough, the Free Man has specials on top shelf

liquors for only $4 all weekend long.

Aside from the fantastic food, the Free Man has more than 10 musical acts a week. I have been to the Free Man many nights with no idea of what to expect and I’ve never been let down.

With swing groups, jazz artists, southern blues, ’70s funk, big band, alternative rock and your favorite local Dallas bands, such as The Free-

loaders, The Funky Knuckles and Reinventing Jude, you will never find yourself looking for more entertainment. They also host a Tuesday open mic night full of skilled singers and musicians.

Whether you’re looking for some quality cuisine, an exciting music show or a comfortable and interesting bar to take your friend to, the Free Man has it all.

The Free Man, located at 2626 Commerce St. in Dallas, is open daily from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. For more information, visit its website at freemandallas.com.

LUZETTE PORTILLO / THE ET CETERA

Big Gus and the Swampadelic play Mondays from 7 to 10 p.m.

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Wednesday, April 2, 2014

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The Et Cetera

Gutierrez pursues a career in hip-hop, preps for debut album

By KARINA DUNN etc4640@dcccd.edu

Music blared from Rudy Gutierrez’s dorm room on a regular basis during his freshman year at the University of Texas in Austin. Gutierrez, who began dabbling in music at the age of 7, quickly earned a reputation as the dorm disc jockey.

However, he had never considered producing his own music until a friend dropped by with a special request. He wanted Gutierrez to help him record a mixtape.

With no background in mixing or recording, Gutierrez hesitated to accept the offer. Yet his friend persisted, and Gutierrez grew more open to the idea.

He invested in a stage microphone, software for his computer and other tools. And soon he had turned his dorm room into a studio.

“At the time I had no idea what I was doing, so it was the most crazy, off-the-wall thing you could ever see anyone doing,” Gutierrez said. “It was just bad. If I could go back … I’d smack myself on the forehead.”

Although his friend withdrew from the project, Gutierrez found his passion. He decided to return to Dallas and focus on rap music, and now his career is beginning to take off.

Gutierrez, who goes by the stage name Rhythm the M3, is pairing his music venture with his education. The 24-year-old already holds two associates degrees in commercial recording and liberal arts from Cedar Valley College, and now he is working on a degree in business administration at Eastfield.

“You have to have the knowledge to succeed,” he said.

Party in Deep Ellum Using what he learned in college, Gutierrez has released two promotional mixtapes in the past three months: “Body Mind Soul” on Jan. 6 and “Epilepsy” on March 3. In the wake of that success, he has also started work on his first studio album, tentatively titled “The M3 EP,” which is due for release in spring 2015.

On the mixtape “Body Mind Soul,” Gutierrez explored the contrast between the physical and spiritual self. He said “Epilepsy” uses more musical content and jazzy rhythms than lyrical content. Both projects are available for download on datpiff.com and Rhythmthem3.com.

“I try to find deeper understanding of my lyrics, real musical elements, acoustical sounds that people can play in a concert,” he said.

Gutierrez’s older brother and manager, Ramiro Gutierrez, has taken pride in watching his younger brother grow as an artist and a person.

“Rudy has always been more of my son than my brother,” said Ramiro, who teaches auto body classes at Eastfield. “I sort of raised him … guided him as much as I could. His music is poetry to me.”

The executives of Gutierrez’s record label, Beast Mode Records, held a fan appreciation party for the rapper on March 28 at Elm Street Bar in Deep Ellum.

The event featured an appearance by actress Nikki Soohoo,

JONATHAN WENCES/THE ET CETERA

Rudy Gutierrez, whose stage name is Rhythm the M3, will perform at Eastfield’s main campus on May 1, and at the Pleasant Grove campus on May 3.

who had roles in “Stick It” and “Bring It On: Fight to Finish.”

“I’ve always wanted to visit Dallas,” she said at the party. “Edward [Tapia, Gutierrez’s booking agent] and Rhythm the M3 gave me the opportunity to come out here, so it was terrific.”

The club was packed for the event, and by the end of the night, the crowd’s energy had peaked. In addition to Soohoo, artists from Gutierrez’s label performed, including rapper IQ

from Space Camp Entertainment.

“Rhythm and I go way back,” IQ said. “Since we’ve met, we’ve had a plan to stick together and grow the empire from the ground up.”

Before the show, Gutierrez said he was optimistic about the night and being surrounded by people “who appreciate music as much as [he does].”

LIFE&ARTS

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Wednesday, April 2, 2014

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LUZETTE PORTILLO/THE ET CETERA

Rudy Gutierrez held a fan appreciation party on March 28 at Elm Street Bar in Deep Ellum. Artists from Gutierrez’s record label, Beast Mode, performed that night.

Immersed in music Music has always been a part of Gutierrez’s life. He learned to play the piano at 7 and the drums at 12. He picked up jazz at 19.

With three brothers and two sisters, Gutierrez had many influences growing up. Ramiro played in a Cumbia band, and Gutierrez loved its passionate, rhythmic sound. He was later introduced to the gangsta rap popularized in Dallas by rapper D.O.C. and rapper-producer Dr. Dre. “I grew up listening to a fusion of Cumbia on one side and gangsta rap on the other,” he said.

“It just came together.”

Gutierrez believes in the value of work ethic, and he believes a love for the art form is needed in a competitive industry like hip-hop.

“You have to have a passion and reason for what you’re doing,” he said.

As a solo artist, Gutierrez searched for a stage name that matched his personality. Not wanting to use his birth name, he Googled “RG”, his initials, to find out what names were already out there. Snoop Dogg’s song, “Rhythm and Gangsta” appeared in the results.

“I dropped the Gangsta and stuck with Rhythm,” Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez had previously worked with the Masterminds, a rap group at UT. He originally took on the name Mastermind Musician, then changed it to Mastermind Meshika after an indigenous tribe of Mexico. He combined both experiences and arrived at the stage name “Rhythm the M3.”

Life at Eastfield Gutierrez’s goal is to engage listeners and keep the art alive in his music with his unique style. His supporters at the college believe he can achieve that goal.

“He can artistically craft words in a way that is quite visionary for me,” said Courtney Carter Harbour, executive dean of the Office of Student Engagement and Retention. “We herald a lot of rap artists — Kanye West, Nas, Jay Z, Common — who have songs that are socially conscious messages. I think Rudy fits within

LUZETTE PORTILLO/THE ET CETERA

Rudy Gutierrez, left, is managed by his brother Ramiro Gutierrez, who teaches auto body at the college.

“I really see him as a student of the world and all the world has to offer. He’s beyond his years in how he thinks and goes about his efforts.”

-Courtney Carter Harbour OSER executive dean

that same genre of artists.”

Carter Harbour met Gutierrez during his studies with the Eastfield Jazz Ensemble. Aware of his abilities as a poet, she later learned of his capabilities as a musician.

“He is able to bridge his interests here with his interests outside Eastfield,” Carter Harbour said. “I really see him as a student of the world and all the world has to offer. He’s beyond his years in how he thinks and goes about his efforts.”

Gutierrez is planning two performances for the college’s Cinco de Mayo celebration. He plans to perform at the main campus on May 1 and at the Pleasant Grove campus on May 3.

Gutierrez will perform with Eastfield’s Jazz En-

semble on May 1.

Ramiro Gutierrez approached Oscar Passley, Eastfield’s music coordinator, with the idea for the collaboration. Passley instructed Rhythm the M3 when he played for the Ensemble.

“Rudy was always eager to learn … and liked different aspects of spoken word, jazz and hiphop,” Passley said.

Musical inspiration Gutierrez’s break into the music industry began when he shared his music with his friend Jorge “Prophecy” Villa, who has worked with artists such as Lil Flip. “[Jorge] was like, ‘Dude, you’re all right.

People are not going to throw your CD out the window,’ ” Gutierrez said.

Encouraged by Villa’s feedback, Gutierrez looked to successful emcees to improve himself as an artist.

“I started paying attention to everything they did,” he said, “to the way they dressed, spoke and the content of their lyrics, to musical elements they used, to who produces or even writes their stuff.”

Gutierrez’s biggest musical influences include Biggie, Tupac, Big L, Eminem and Nas. He appreciates the thought they put into their lyrics

and their craft.

“I’m going to give a big shout out to Devin the Dude,” Gutierrez said. “I got to meet him.

He’s been a huge influence on me musically.”

A Houston rapper, Devin the Dude, real name Devin Copeland, has released eight solo albums since 1998. Copeland has worked with artists like Scarface, Pimp C and Snoop Dogg.

Another inspiration, SPM, offered a blueprint for Gutierrez’s path as an underground rapper who developed a strong Mexican following.

Gutierrez wants to improve that model and help break barriers for other Mexican artists in hiphop.

Beyond his performances in Dallas and Mesquite this year, Gutierrez looks forward to participating in Team Backpacks’ national cypher in Los Angeles this spring. Cyphers allow rap artists to gather in one venue and display their skills as emcees.

Team Backpack provides a platform for independent artists to network and connect with fans.

“We’re blessed to be chosen,” Gutierrez said.

Tapia, dismissed the rapper’s modesty.

“He was chosen because of his skill,” he said.

As he did with music, Gutierrez has pursued knowledge all his life. He studied philosophers like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi and Confucius, Laozi and Sun Tzu. Gutierrez’s oldest brother imparted spiritual knowledge to him, leading him to read the Bible, the Koran and Hindu religious texts. The experiences can be heard in his music.

Gutierrez also likes to “wear things on his arm.” He pushed back the sleeve of his red hoodie to reveal an obsidian bracelet given to him by an older brother. In Meshika culture, obsidian represents the Tezcatlipoca deity, a force of recreation. For Gutierrez, obsidian is an inspiration to continue his path of self-improvement.

“I didn’t want to just be this rapper dude who made something of himself,” he said. “I wanted to be a hero for my neighborhood, a good example to the youth [who] understood the same difficulties that we had in a lower economic, inner city situation.”

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The Et Cetera

MOVIE REVIEW

Rumsfeld stands his ground in ‘The Unknown’

By BILLY DENNIS etc4640@dcccd.edu

COURTESY OF RADIUS-TWC

Former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld goes on trial in “The Unknown Known.”

my mistakes.” Rumsfeld, however, provided no sense of guilt or obligation that he has anything to apologize for. He seemed smugly satisfied with himself.

One bared his soul. The other showed he

doesn’t have one.

I really just wanted to knock that smug smirk off his face. That would have been a great film: “Punching Donald.”

After 9/11, the Bush administration was

Where fast-tracking career goals lines up with

“I want to get started right away.”

© 2014 National University 13831-02

Oscar-winning director Errol Morris attempts to put former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on trial for the Iraq War in the “The Unknown Known.” His mission is ultimately unsuccessful.

There’s really no new information in this documentary that cannot be found on the History Channel or the nightly news. It basically rehashes the same fights we’ve been having for the past 11 years.

When I learned the famed director would be squaring off against one of the architects of the Iraq War, I was excited to watch the feeding frenzy. But the film was somewhat of a disappointment, falling short of his most praised piece of work: “The Fog of War.” In “The Fog of War,” the film that earned Morris his Oscar, we see former defense secretary Robert McNamara as a man nearing the end of his life and trying to make peace with his past transgressions. The film was satisfying to watch regardless of one’s political persuasion.

McNamara was essentially saying, “Mea culpa, and here are the lessons I’ve learned from

determined to not let the country down. This caused our leaders to speculate wildly over the next move our enemy would make, or who our enemy even was.

The Bush administration muddied the intelligence on 9/11 so much so that a 2003 Washington Post poll found that 69 percent of the American population believed Saddam Hussein was behind the attacks on the World Trade Center.

Rumsfeld said he felt 9/11 was a failure of imagination, the failure on our part to imagine every possible scenario in which Islamic radicals might attack the U.S. He basically said that if you can perceive a possible attack, then you have the duty and right to act in self-interest to prevent said attack. What does this mean? It seems to me that he’s saying, like the Stand Your Ground laws, if you perceive your life to be in danger, you have the right to use deadly force to protect yourself, or in this case, the nation.

In the end, of have to give Rumsfeld credit for agreeing to the interviews. It’s no secret that Errol Morris has a disdain for the Republican Party and certainly for the Bush administration.

If I were to award a decision on who won the exchange, I would have to lean toward Rumsfeld.

I hate that.

• • • •

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Learn more at nu.edu

Visit us at The Shops at Park Lane 8132 Park Lane • Dallas, TX 75231 NU14_13831-02_OIC_Dallas_CC_PrintAd_5p1x5p25_K_FNL.indd 1

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The Et Cetera

11

opinion

12 The Et Cetera

Etera

Kevin Cushingberry Jr.

Award-winning member of: • Texas Intercollegiate Press Association • Texas Community College Journalism Association • Associated Collegiate Press • College Media Association Eastfield College 3737 Motley Drive Mesquite, TX 75150 Phone: 972-860-7130 Fax: 972-860-7646 Email: etc4640@dcccd.edu

Paving the way for my brother’s success

Editor In Chief Kevin Cushingberry Jr. News Editor Billy Dennis Opinion Editor Caitlin Piper Online Editor Miguel Padilla Design Editors Aki Ohashi DeKayla Horton Staff Writers / Contributors Gereneicia Foster Karina Dunn Emma Hahn Robert Burns Morgan Corley Lauren Allen Kametra Loud Anahi Perez Justin David Tate Photographer Luzette Portillo Jonathan Wences Jessica Garcia Cartoonist Alex Hernandez Advertising Manager Allison Slomowitz Student Publications Manager Gary Piña Faculty Adviser Lori Dann Editorial Policy 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, Eastfield College or the Dallas County Community College District.

The Et Cetera is published every two weeks— except December, January and summer months—by a student staff. Each member of the college community is entitled to one free copy of The Et Cetera. Additional copies are available in Room N-240.

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 considered for publication must be 250 words or fewer. Letters may be delivered to Room N-240 or sent to etc4640@dcccd.edu 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.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

OUR VIEW

The longer I held my brother pinned against the wall, the more enraged his eyes became. He was at a boiling point. Finally, after several minutes, he calmed down and I let him go.

Moments earlier, I had walked in on an altercation between my then-14-year-old younger brother Cameron and my step-mom. Cameron was so upset that I had to physically restrain him.

The inevitable divorce that had hung over that household for years was the seed of my little brother’s anger. It seemed like my father and step-mom had been contemplating divorce since Cameron was in elementary school. When they finally acted on it, it meant my older brother Derrick, my sister Ashley and I had to step up and play bigger roles in Cameron’s life.

I explained to him that I was only 5 when my biological mother and dad divorced. I talked to him about how even though I struggled academically and at home, I eventually adjusted.

My father had been there to wake Cameron up and take him to school every day. It was all he ever knew. I told Cameron that I never woke up to my dad or went to sleep knowing he was in the other room except when I was much younger and would visit him every other weekend. I learned how to do things on my own and had to things that actually matter. become the man of the house overnight.

When was the last time you read a novel that I had already fought the fight that Cameron wasn’t assigned to you by an instructor? was now experiencing.

When was the last time you cracked open a The more time me and my other siblings spent book and read solely for your own enjoyment? with Cameron, the more comfortable he became There’s absolutely nothing wrong with skimwithout my dad. Even if it was doing something ming through a blog or magazine every now and as simple as going to Razzoo’s or watching a then. movie, he enjoyed that family environment.

Not every source of entertainment has to be When I was in high school, I went to sumhighbrow, and we all have our guilty pleasures. mer school three consecutive summers. I barely The problem lies in the fact that far too many graduated and finished my senior year with a people are unwilling to deviate from this type of 1.8 GPA. I failed to take advantage of so many reading material. So much could be gained from opportunities. Now, I live vicariously through reading a proper novel every now and then, but Cameron, explaining where I went wrong in many people squander this opportunity every hopes that he’ll get it right. time they scroll through their Twitter feed or open My biggest hope for Cameron is that he breaks a magazine. that cycle of mediocrity. That he realizes that doIf novels aren’t your thing, you can follow a ing homework and making A’s pays off. That he number of informative websites, Facebook or realizes he can do whatever he puts his mind to.

Twitter pages. Major news sources or publishers Cameron turned 15 in December. One distinct provide a lot of free information online, and you difference between him and me when I was 15 is can still improve your literacy skills with short that he wants it. He wants to succeed. He wants browsing sessions. to be great. It took me 18 years to realize some of Literacy is a privilege, so we must learn to the things he realizes right now. I think he’s wakmake the most of it. ing up just in time for greatness.

Literacy is a gift, so use it wisely While newspapers struggle to find an audience and books accumulate layers of dust on shelves, worldwide literacy rates continue to climb.

We receive our news in 140 characters or less, and most of us only read classic novels when they are assigned in class, but more and more people are acquiring the skills to read and write effectively every day. The arrival of the digital age is a mixed blessing, but a blessing nonetheless.

Regardless, the phrase “not all reading is good reading” immediately comes to mind when we examine the literary comprehension skills of the average American citizen.

According to a 2012 poll conducted by The National Assessment of Adult Literacy, 14 percent of American citizens over the age of 16 read below a fifth-grade level, while a staggering 29 percent only read at the eighth-grade level.

True, literacy rates have been rising steadily for the past several years, but what is the point of having these skills if so many people use them only to check up on the latest celebrity gossip, scroll through a Facebook feed or read off a menu at a restaurant?

More people are reading, but fewer are reading

OPINION

13

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www.eastfieldnews.com

Taking math out of the equation

I was recently informed that Texas students will no longer be required to take Algebra II before graduating high school.

I was concerned by how this would affect students pursuing a college degree. I am in my last year here and I’m struggling to get through college algebra.

One day at work, I was doing algebra homework when a good friend walked by and said, “Keturah, you know you will never see that again, right?”

I thought to myself, “You’re probably right.”

I’m majoring in broadcasting, and the only thing that stands between me and my degree is math. I have never had a problem with writing. I can write all day long.

However, when it comes to math, anything beyond the basics of adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing is a foreign language to me.

My question from the beginning was, “Why do I have to take a subject that has nothing to do with my degree?”

I can understand why higher levels of math would be a requirement if I wanted to be a doctor or scientist. But that’s not in my future.

Removing Algebra II from the list of high school requirements can be a blessing or a

Keturah Jones

curse, depending on your point of view. For a high school student who has limited reasoning skills, this could be a very bad idea.

The main objective with algebra is to teach reasoning skills. Without them, students can spend the first few semesters of their college careers in developmental math classes.

On the plus side, college students who don’t need math past the basics for their degree won’t have to worry about taking an unnecessary course.

I think the Board of Education has it backwards. A student such as myself who is older, working and pursuing a degree that has nothing to do with math should be given the option of whether or not to take anything beyond basic math courses. This should be an option for college students, but not high school students.

One of the reasons the Board of Educa-

A student such as myself who is older, working and pursuing a degree that has nothing to do with math should be given the option of whether to take anything beyond math courses. tion has decided to cut Algebra II was a fear of students dropping out because of the class being too hard. If I knew I couldn’t pass algebra or any other higher math, I would also feel like dropping out.

What bothers me is this assumption that students who opt out of Algebra II are not college material. It is assumed that they will go to a technical school at best.

However, there are students who can excel in other areas, but they’re just not successful in math.

I think college students should be given more options for required courses that apply to our degree.

If college algebra isn't a required course for your degree, you shouldn’t have to take it.

Classical music is an underrated genre Music plays an enormous role in students’ lives.

Almost everyone listens to some type of music whether it’s pop, rap, R&B, rock or metal. Those are some of the more popular genres and there’s nothing wrong with them, but one genre that is often overlooked by young people is classical music.

Classical music isn’t like other genres. It invokes different emotions from listeners and engages them in a nonstop roller coaster of emotions.

The instruments used, such as the piano, violin, flute, horn, double bass, cello, drums and bassoon, are enchanting to the ear. It’s a very different feeling compared to hearing an electric guitar or heavy bass drops in other genres.

The vocals in classical music are very different from those in contemporary songs.

This gives room for many different impressions.

Other genres are more limited in that aspect.

Composers such as Beethoven, Haydn and Mozart from the classical era (around 1730 to 1820) were hard-working individuals who didn’t have to worry about the production factor like the average songwriter today.

Writing classical music required much more talent because composers wrote parts for more than one instrument.

David Ramirez

Modern musicians in other genres typically worry only about their own instrument.

Don’t be fooled by the complexity of classical music. Although it requires the listener to pay attention, it pays off in the end with a sense of captivation.

“Why classical?” students may ask.

Classical music is not only beautiful beyond belief, but it can also be helpful when engaging in other activities, such as studying.

It can improve your mood.

Studies by researchers at several universities including the University of San Diego have shown that listening to classical musics helps with test scores, creativity and clarity.

Classical stimulates both sides of the brain, encouraging students to learn more efficiently.

There have even been tests that show plants grow quicker with classical music playing rather than no music at all. This is

Classical music is not only beautiful beyond belief, but it can also be helpful when engaging in other activities, such as studying. known as the “Mozart Effect.”

When listening to classical music on Pandora or YouTube, my mood always improves, no matter what the situation. In the morning, I put on some Mozart and feel quite energetic throughout the day. Classical music also enhances my schoolwork and helps me sleep better.

Most students do not appreciate classical music, a situation which will likely get worse because some school systems are eliminating their art and music programs.

Communities should find a way to keep music programs in their schools, even if it means paying higher taxes because our generation needs to become more culturally aware.

As a student who now listens mostly to classical music, I am amazed at how much I was missing out on before discovering this magnificent genre.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Stand your ground law needs stricter control

The Stand Your Ground law is a highly controversial law, and it is active in nearly half the country. In recent years, people have taken this law to an extreme and used it outside their homes.

These events have pushed for reform all around the country.

Should the Stand Your Ground law be shot down? In my opinion, it should be more controlled and stricter, but for it to be shot down would be taking away our right to bear arms.

In today’s world, guns are available to just about everyone. In most places, you have to go through a background check before you can buy one. However, events such as gun shows or a local flea market do not produce background checks and sometimes may even take a little extra money from the consumer so that they can get a gun even though they are not of proper age. It is places like these that make the need for much stricter gun laws. It may not put a stop to the improper sale of guns, but it would slow it down. Also, we should have much stricter penalties for those who abuse these gun laws and take the Stand Your Ground law to an extreme. There’s no need to strip us of our Second Amendment rights just because there are a few of those who refuse to abide by the law.

There’s no doubt that no matter what, there’s going to be that 2 percent who will not abide by the law and ruin it for the rest of us.

Francisco Santillan Science major

Same-sex marriage fight brings out false ideas

The article about the Texas gay rights debate (March 19) brings out people’s true colors. I believe a person has the right to pursue happiness in their life. One comment in particular caught my attention. Thomas Do stated that marriage should be between “one man and one woman” and that if a homosexual act is “caught by authorities, [it] should be a crime.” I disagree with this statement.

Growing up in the Catholic faith, homosexuality is seen as a sin against God. Disregarding if I believe this is true or untrue, church and state are separate issues and beliefs.

I have a couple of homosexual friends that I work with. They are pleasant to be around and carry themselves properly. Just because someone is homosexual does not mean they deserve to be imprisoned. They deserve the same equality that heterosexual people do. There are many fallacies people use to stop the expansion of gay marriage in the United States. I have heard “It will make kids confused” and “Eventually everyone will turn gay and the human race will disappear.” These assumptions are untrue.

We teach children from a young age to accept people for who they are no matter of race, color, gender, sexual orientation or religion. If we teach our kids these principles and do not allow samesex marriage, what message does that send to the youth? It sends a hypocritical one. And to touch on the second fallacy, just because we allow same-sex marriage does not mean everyone will turn gay and stop populating the human race. That is absurd.

Alan S. Malazzo Accounting major

Sports

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Harvesters look to catch North Lake, Brookhaven

By ANAHI PEREZ etc4640@dcccd.edu

Heading into April, the Eastfield Harvesters baseball team has compiled a 27-7 record and is third in the Metro Athletic Conference behind the North Lake Blazers, and the No. 2 team in the nation, the Brookhaven Bears.

The Harvesters lead the nation in four offensive categories: runs scored (274) doubles (79), home runs (19) and runs batted in (234). The pitching staff has compiled a 2.99 earned run average with 249 strikeouts. Freshman outfielder Jason Serchay leads the team with five home runs and a .466 batting average.

Head coach Michael Martin said the team is fighting hard to move into first place in the conference standings.

“We hope to win our conference, that is our first goal right now,” Martin said. “Our main goal is to finish in the top two, but obviously, we want to win this conference and go on and win the district tournament.”

The Harvesters (10-5 in MAC) are two games behind North Lake (11-2) and one game behind Brookhaven (10-3).

Assistant coach Travis Graves said the team has been doing well offensively and improving defensively. He said he’s seen improvement in both areas, but said some of the team’s losses were hard to swallow.

“I feel like we’ve given some games away,” Graves said. “Some of our losses, I don’t necessarily think teams have beaten us as much as we’ve lost the game.”

However, Graves said the Harvesters are pitching well, playing good defense and hitting the ball.

The Harvesters got the best of the Bears earlier this season, taking two out of three games in a March 7-8 series. Serchay had four hits in the series, while sophomore pitchers Will Birge (2-0) and Brody Toal (3-0) both picked up victories.

Two weekends later, the Harvesters took on the Blazers and won another three-game series, 2-1.

In Game 1, Serchay and sophomore outfielder Eric Gilstrap each had three hits. Sophomore pitcher Paul Atwood (20) got the win.

In Game 2, sophomore pitcher Weston Sims (3-2) lost a 4-1 game in which Eastfield produced only five hits.

MIGUEL PADILLA/THE ET CETERA

Sophomore pitcher Will Birge has helped the Harvesters compile a 27-7 record. Birge, a transfer from Texas A & M Corpus Christi, has won both of his starts.

Game 3 was a bounceback game for the Harvesters. Just three hours after losing a noon game, the Harvesters pulled out a 6-3 victory behind the arm of sophomore pitcher Matias Terrones (2-0), who pitched

2 p.m.

Noon 3 p.m.

2 p.m.

Noon 3 p.m.

Baseball vs Cedar Valley Baseball vs Cedar Valley Baseball vs Paris Baseball at Richland Baseball at Richland Baseball vs Bossier Parish

eight shutout innings.

Eastfield has 15 conference games left including a series at Brookhaven on April 18-19 and a home series against North Lake on April 25-26.

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Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Intramurals are back at Eastfield

By KEVIN CUSHINGBERRY JR. etc4640@dcccd.edu

About 75 student athletes competed for the four Eastfield sports teams this school year.

The women’s soccer team clinched a playoff spot for the first time. The women’s volleyball team advanced to the national Elite Eight. The men’s basketball team made it to the Final Four, and the baseball team is off to a 27-7 start.

With all this success, others are bound to want to join in on the fun. Thanks to intramurals, they can.

The Athletics Department has offered intramural sports in the past, but recent offerings have only been camps, oneday activities or a few games during a particular month.

Don Mathis was director of intramural sports when the school opened in 1970. Mathis kept that position for 15 years and said he enjoyed every single minute.

“Back then we had a one-hour activity period,” Mathis said. “Every student had to be part of an activity. When they did away with that, it really hurt us.”

With the college’s 2013-14 theme of engagement and the development of the Office of Student Engagement and Retention, administrators decided that this year might be a good time to try to grow the Intramurals Sports program.

“My personal goal for the recruitment of students participating in intramural sports this year is at least 100 students,” said Courtney Carter Harbour, executive dean of the Office of Student Engagement and Retention. “We had 20 students sign up on the first recruitment day in the Pit on March 19 to play one of the Intramural Sports.”

Eastfield faculty and staff members who have played one or more of the sports will serve as advisers. The number of advisers varies from three to six. Employees can also form their own teams.

A mandatory orientation will be held at 2 p.m. today in the gym for students who signed up for soccer. Basketball and tennis orientations will be announced at a later date.

Journalism major Jonatan Benitez, who played four years of college soccer, two at Richland and two at UT-Tyler, said he looks forward to starting intramurals.

“One of my friends told me they were doing soccer intramurals,” Benitez said. “I got really excited. I think Eastfield should have a soccer team for males. Richland has a really good men’s soccer program.”

Games will begin on April 7. Teams will play a five-week schedule of at least nine games. Championship games will be held on May 6. All game times are 12:30-1:30 p.m.

Soccer games will be held Mondays and Wednesdays, while basketball will take place Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Tennis singles and doubles matches will be played on Fridays.

“It is important to be involved in the overall growth and development of the program because intramural sports not only engages our students outside of the classroom, but also teaches our students good sportsmanship, teamwork, interpersonal communication, and healthy habits with physical fitness,” Carter Harbour said. “I think intramural sports will facilitate an increased sense of community, collaboration and camaraderie among the students, faculty and staff.”

Wrapup The Et Cetera

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Short Thoughts BY ALEX HERNANDEZ

Trivia Bits

1. What insult is actually a compliment, when it applies to spicy Jamaican grilled meat?

A) Cracker B) Dummy C) Jerk D) Moron 2. The whole universe has this quality. What?

A) Endless B) Divine C) Flat D) Green

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3. What name is shared by two operations: one to bring U.S. soldiers home after World War II and another to bring Yemeni Jews to Israel in 1949-50?

A) Operation Easy Rider B) Operation Magic Carpet C) Operation Voodoo Child D) Operation White Rabbit

Sudoku

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Trivia Answers 1. Jerked meat 2. The Earth isn’t flat, but the universe sure is.

3. Operation Magic Carpet.

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The Et Cetera

Wednesday, April 2, 2014