November14 2012 Issue

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Volume 44, Issue 5

Eastfield College

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Arrested Development

*STUDENTS PICTURED ARE NOT ACTUALLY ON ACADEMIC PROBATION

Failing comes with a price Passing classes isn’t always easy, but neither is working your way out of academic probation.

Some students are down to their last strike, and advisers are doing what they can to save them a trip to the college’s

version of the slammer. Academic probation can severely impact a student’s future, but advisers say there are ways to recover from a grade-point collapse.

See ACADEMIC PROBATION, page 3 ➤

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NEWS

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

PUT IT ON

Calendar November Wed

This is the last day to drop any class for the fall semester.

Thu

The movie “Fast Food Nation” will be shown from 12:30-2:30 p.m. in C-135.

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15 Fri

Dr. Joe Izen, contributor to the discovery of the Higgs Boson particle, will talk about his research from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in S-100.

Tue

“NoodleBib: MLA, APA Citing Sources” will be held from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in L-208. A second workshop will be held from 5:35-6:35 p.m. in L-208.

16 20

Priority registration for the spring semester begins.

Mon

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The Annual Eastfield Art Student Exhibition will feature student works from the Visual Arts Department 9 a.m. in G-219. The exhibit will run through Dec. 6.

“Why the Mind Accelerates,” featuring yoga and meditation instructor Beth Cunningham, will start at 9:30 a.m. in G-101.

Regular spring semester registration for all students begins.

Tue

“Overcoming Test Anxiety” will explain how to practice strategies to identify and reduce exam stress from 11 a.m. to noon in L-208. The event will be held again from 5:35–6:35 p.m. in L-208.

Wed

“Obesity Crisis in Texas” will be presented by David Green and Beth Hallmark from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in S-100.

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The Eastfield College Choir concert will start at 12:45 p.m. in the Performance Hall.

Thu

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“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” directed by Dusty Reasons, will premiere at noon in the Performance Hall. There will be 7 p.m. performances from Nov. 29 until Dec. 1.

A closing matinee will be held Dec. 2 at 2 p.m.

www.eastfieldnews.com

The Et Cetera

New vending contract brings variety

By Claudia Guerra etc4640@dcccd.edu

The contract making Dr. Pepper the only beverage choice in the college’s vending machines expired on Oct. 31.

Now students can choose from multiple drink and snack brands, thanks to a new contract with Canteen Vending Services.

The district requested bids from different vendors in April. Canteen was awarded the new contract because it offered a variety of options.

Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Dr. Pepper brands fill the new soda machines, while the snack machines are larger and contain a variety of food options, including some with fewer calories and fat grams.

“We wanted a contractor that offered more of a variety of snack items,” Vice President of Business Services Adrian Douglas said. “We wanted more healthy food items [like granola bars and baked chips.]”

Students, staff and faculty had the opportunity to take part in selecting the new products. An email survey found that more healthy snacks and different types of sodas were being requested.

JIMMY AMBASSA/THE ET CETERA

A Canteen Vending services employee wheels in a new soda machine.

Douglas said the main objective was making sure students’ needs were met.

“We want to be able to offer selections that people want,” she said.

“When we support [improving] the vending machines, we are, in essence, supporting Eastfield and our students.”

Proceeds from the vending machines help support student activities

such as athletics and Student Life.

Douglas said next semester Canteen will increase the prices on some vending machine items by a quarter.

However, she said there will be no other increases for the remainder of the contract, which runs five years.

One downside to the new machines is that some don’t have a debit or credit card slots. Those that do have been placed strategically

throughout the campus.

“Most people don’t carry cash nowadays,” nursing major Yesenia Calvillo said “Everybody is using a debit card.”

Seventeen of the 35 Coca-Cola machines on campus also stock Monster energy drinks. Energy drinks claim to give a boost of energy due to a high caffeine content, but studies have shown that there are health concerns. The New York Times recently reported that five people have died in the past three years after consuming Monster drinks.

School nurse Cynthia Taylor expressed concern about the energy drinks students consume on campus.

“Our students aren’t label readers, and they need to be more conscious of what they’re putting into their bodies,” she said.

Douglas said the school is not trying to promote unhealthy snacks. It is just trying to offer a variety.

“We realize it may not be something that everyone may chose to partake in, but it may also be the choice of some,” Douglas said. “Our goal is to be sure we can provide items and selections that are going to be satisfactory to as many people on campus as possible.”

PG students venting for machine not vending supplies

By Keturah Jones etc4640@dcccd.edu

Administrators and students at the Pleasant Grove campus are lobbying for a campus bookstore that will meet student’s basic needs.

There is a temporary bookstore, but it is only open four days a week, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., for the first two weeks of each semester. The campus does have a supply vending machine, but it hasn’t worked since being burglarized almost four months ago.

“I feel that it’s necessary for us to have a bookstore that’s open and stocked with the basic supplies that we need for our classes,” business finance major Yulyanna Silva said.

“The machine seems to be not working and is constantly out of order.”

According to Eastfield’s campus police crime log, the bookstore’s supply machine was broken into on July 17 around 6 p.m., although the crime wasn’t reported until six days later.

No supplies were taken, only money, but parts were damaged.

Javier Olguin, executive direc-

KETURAH JONES/THE ET CETERA

Supply vending machine currently out of order due to burglary.

tor of the Pleasant Grove campus, said he doesn’t believe the crime was committed by a student or employee.

Erika Spann, manager of the main campus bookstore which oversees the vending machines, is question-

ing why it took so long for the crime to be reported. She said that the machine has been out of order since the incident. A part ordered to complete the repair has not yet arrived.

Olguin, however, said the machine

has been fixed but says that there are constant breakdowns.

“I would rather just do away with the machine altogether and just have the supplies available to the students through the bookstore,” he said. “It’s an inconvenience to our students to have to drive to the main campus and back to buy a scantron.”

Since the burglary, Spann said she has made an extra effort to be sure scantrons are available at the front desk of the school. Students can purchase them for 35 cents each.

Spann said operating a bookstore is difficult because of a lack of traffic.

“In October 2010 we had a representative at the Pleasant Grove campus bookstore,” she said. “We tried it for a semester and the sales just didn’t generate enough to have it viable to be open at that time. I’m willing to try it again to see if it will work. We are striving for the success of the student.”

A meeting was scheduled Tuesday between campus administrators from both campuses and local and regional Follett bookstore managers.

NEWS

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www.eastfieldnews.com

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Academic probation hits students hard

changing or your baby getting sick are things that are beyond your control,” Looney said. “When students fill out those drop forms, they should use it as an opportunity to explain their situation. Then, when you come

and speak with me, I can decide whether the reason is worth saving or losing a drop over.”

Looney said most students ultimately fall into academic probation because they do not take their classes

seriously. Many are going to college for the first time and do not realize there are consequences which can impact their future standing at other schools.

Academic adviser Cecilia Flores has dealt with students under academic probation and said the problem can be as simple as ignoring paperwork.

“Our problem is students don’t read the documents that are issued to them,” Flores said. “They’re not reading the packets they are given when they first enroll or the announcements we send through email.”

Flores encourages students to take the time and go over the guidelines that are provided for them during the advising and enrollment process. That will help them understand the best way to manage their classes ahead of time.

“If we could just teach students to look at their documents and take responsibility for the amount of knowledge that is available to them through the ocular nerve, it would help so much,” Flores said.

Although academic probation can be discouraging, it is possible to recover from a low GPA. When Veronica Chavarria began attending Eastfield, she was clueless as to how a community college worked, let alone what the repercussions were for not meeting the college’s expectations. After falling into academic probation, she was ready

place since 2009 includes a choice of either Speech 1311 or Speech 1315 for one of two Communication component areas. English 1301 and 1302 took the second component area for a total of nine credit hours in the Communication tier.

The new core will combine the Communication tiers, decreasing the total hours from nine to six.

One area, known as the Component Area Option, consists of six credit hours that are up for grabs for whichever discipline can make the best argument as to why their classes should remain in the core.

Communication is making the argument that either Speech or English 1302 should occupy three of those credits.

“Oral and written communication skills are an unavoidable by-product

of life,” English professor Larissa Pierce-Washington said. “Without both, one cannot be in power.”

Pierce-Washington and fellow English professor Amber Pagel presented a case that suggested ways to retain the Speech and English components in their entirety.

In order to be considered for the Component Area Option, a class must meet a minimum of three of the Core Objectives.

Speech communication professor Mark Burks made the argument that Speech 1311 and 1315 more than fit the description.

Burks identified Speech as essential for instilling critical thinking skills as well as oral and written communication skills, three of the core objectives.

While Communication is in dan-

ger of losing a portion of its classes from the core, Physical Education could be eliminated in its entirety from the core.

In making his case for physical education, instructor Bob Flickner read the following testimonial from a student whose life was changed after relearning healthy eating and exercise habits. “‘At the beginning of this course, I felt it was a little overkill. But now I feel this is the most important course that I’ve taken. I only get one life, one body and I need to take care of it.,” Flickner read.

Executive Dean of Academic Enrichment Liz Nichols made sure to let everyone know that no final decisions have been made about which classes will make it into the coveted Component Area Option slots.

By Braulio A. Tellez brauliotellez@dcccd.edu

Some students are sacrificing their GPAs to salvage their drops, but they may not realize they are throwing themselves into the limbo of academic probation.

Many two-year college students do not consider academic probation something they have to deal with, yet it can be a threat to their scholastic careers.

Senior academic adviser LaConna Looney, who manages students under probation, said students’ poor judgment of their classroom progress in class and a lack of knowledge about the drop system can lead to an unsatisfactory academic standing.

“A lot of students get confused with this new six-drop rule and think they have to remain in a class, and then they fail it,” Looney said. “Once they fail their classes and their GPA goes below a 2.0, they fall under probation.”

Looney said students are sometimes forced to drop classes because problems outside the classroom interfere with their school schedule.

She suggests that students speak with advisers and discuss their problems.

If a student’s reason for dropping is something they cannot control and the adviser deems it reasonable, the drop will not count toward the student’s limit.

“Things like your work hours

Can’t register for classes online

to give up.

“I had gotten to a point where I just wanted to throw everything away and say, ‘You know what? I can’t do this anymore,” Chavarria said.

Chavarria did not surrender, though. Instead, she sought help from her advisers, who placed her in the S.T.E.P.S. (Strategies Toward Educational Progress and Success) program.

“The program taught me so much,” Chavarria said. “After that, I took school much more serious, learned to organize my time better and found a new outlook on college.”

Chavarria expects to graduate in December and has been accepted at UNT Dallas.

After working her way back up the academic ladder, she hopes other students under probation will work as hard as she did.

She said avoiding probation is as easy as communicating with fellow students and becoming more involved in the classroom.

“Don’t drop your classes until you speak with your professors,” she said.

“Talk to them and see if they will work something out with you. Take tutoring or work on extra credit.

Don’t just accept failure.”

Chavarria stressed that there is time to recover from mistakes.

“Everyone hits rock bottom, but you just have to pick yourself up and work hard,” she said. “Trust me, it is worth it in the end.”

History professor Matt Hinckley, who heads Eastfield’s core curriculum coordinating board, was part of the 2009 group that helped whittle the core’s 52 credit hours to 48.

He helped spearhead the process of getting instructors’ input and has been an advocate for making their voices heard in various listening exchanges before the core deadline of Feb. 1, 2013. “[The coordinating board] fundamentally endorses the good work that is done by the core 2009 group, but as far as what’s in, what’s out and where it fits, we have not decided,” Hinckley said. “We are waiting for the final draft of the discipline plan, with the final discipline plans to be submitted by Feb. 1. So these series of listening exchanges [should be] a rough draft editing session.”

DCCCD shaves its core curriculum for 2014

By Justin David Tate etc4640@dcccd.edu

The Dallas County Community College District is changing its core curriculum.

By fall 2014, the core will downsize from 47 to 42 credit hours, following a mandate from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

On Oct. 30, groups of faculty members and administrators from multiple disciplines met and presented their cases as to why their discipline should remain in the core.

While Mathematics, Science, Government and History will retain their current requirements in the core, Speech, English and Physical Education have become a major point of contention.

The current core that has been in

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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

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The Et Cetera

Students get tech savvy at annual expo

Instructors show high schoolers what programs have to offer

By Claudia Guerra etc4640@dcccd.edu

More than 1,300 high school students jammed the T building on Nov. 1 for the annual Tech Expo tour, which introduced students to the technical side of the college.

Students snacked their way through the halls of the T building, stopping at different classrooms to see programs such as automotive, welding, electronics and digital imaging.

The expo allowed students to experience the different programs firsthand by seeing what goes on in the classroom and talking to the professors.

Computer science professor David Kirk demonstrated his quadricopter, a flying AR.Drone that flies and captures video controlled by an iPad. The next stop was the dyno room, where students lined up against a window to watch a race car being prepared for a dyno run by automotive students. The room began to fill with the

roar of the engine, and TV screens displayed the horsepower of the car so students could see just how fast it could go.

Adjunct automotive instructor Larry Higgans said the event was good for the students to see the different technical programs offered by the college.

“A lot of people don’t know that the colleges offer the technical side,” he said. “They think of the academics and not the automotive.”

Carmen Stair, campus career coordinator, added that the expo is great exposure for the college because students set to see some of the options in their own backyard.

Students concluded their tour with lunch in the T courtyard. Outside, different tables were set up for students to get more information about classes. They were also able to play with an Xbox and other games.

“The really neat thing about this is that they’re not just sitting and getting information,” Stair said. “They’re actually getting to see a class environment and see what’s going on.”

Gianni Alexander of South Oak Cliff High School said the expo opened her eyes to different opportunities.

“I wouldn’t think to look in these fields, because mostly we think about general jobs such as doctor and lawyers [when we think about college].”

ODESSA LEEPER/THE ET CETERA

Students, from left to right, James Cozby, Sean May, Belemino Garcia and Steven Dollinger trouble-shoot components and circuits on the solar wind trainer in the T Building during the college’s annual Tech Expo.

Izzy encourages leadership

By Claudia Guerra etc4640@dcccd.edu

As a child, Cynthia Izaguirre grew up watching WFAA. She aspired to become a reporter and work at the same station she grew to love.

After graduating with a major in broadcast journalism and a double minor in political science and spanish, Izaguirre worked at small stations in Tyler and Abilene. Then she spent eight years working for KOATTV in New Mexico as a co-anchor. FiJIMMY AMBASSA/ET CETERA nally, Izaguirre made Cynthia Izaguirre it back to Dallas, where she is co-anchor of News 8 Daybreak.

Izaguirre shared her experiences at a Hispanic Heritage Month event on Oct. 31. The celebration focused on leadership.

“In my opinion, everyone is a leader. We are all natural-born leaders,” Izaguirre said. “Leaders are people who set an example, because people are always watching what you do.”

She passed along three suggestions of how to become a better leader. First, don’t complain.

“Don’t be a whiner,” Izaguirre said. “Think

about the people who you know who you hardly ever hear complain. Don’t you think highly of them?”

Second, she said, show compassion.

She shared a personal story about covering a murder in Tyler. Izaguirre’s job required her to speak with the victim’s family.

“The minute they saw me, they were like ‘We can’t believe you’re here,’ and they slammed the door,” Izaguirre said. “Could you blame them?”

She knocked again, paying her respects to the family and leaving a business card.

“That’s showing compassion,” she said. “And sure enough, a week later the young girl called me and said, ‘We’re ready to talk and we’re only talking to you because of all the reporters, you were the only one who showed any respect.’”

Her last piece of advice was to never present a problem without a solution.

Izaguirre then gathered four volunteers to report the news, an exercise to help aspiring journalists get a feel of a real newscast.

Broadcasting major Jose Cifuentes, who wants to be a news anchor, quickly volunteered.

“When the opportunity arose to get up on stage and experience what it feels like to be on camera, lights on you, I really wanted to take advantage of that experience,” he said.

Communications major Virginia Canizale was also inspired. “If you’re chasing a dream, then go for it,” she said.

2013 Spring Registration Priority Registration begins Tuesday, November 20 for current students Regular Registration begins Monday, November 26 for all students IMPORTANT INFORMATION * Classes begin January 22 and end Thursday, May 16 * Students with an academic standing of Dismissal, Suspension or Probation 1, 2, or 3 must register by January 11. * All petitions must be submitted by January 11 for Spring classes. * Deadline date for probation students 1, 2 and 3 to enroll in courses for Spring 2013 is January 11. * All students with a GPA (1) less than 2.0 must have all grades posted prior to registration. * No Late Registration.

For more information, log on to www.eastfieldcollege.edu.

Find Admissions, and click Academic Advising.

3737 Motley Drive Mesquite, TX 75150 www.eastfieldcollege.edu Educational opportunities are offered by the Dallas County Community College District without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity or gender expression. For sign language interpreters or other accommodations, please contact the Disability Services Office at efcdso@dcccd.edu or call 972-860-8348 at least one week prior to the event.

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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Faculty, students get DEEP

By Anjulie Van Sickle etc4640@dcccd.edu

Census figures show that only 30.4 percent of Americans have earned a bachelor’s degree. Among those who do pursue higher education, many face a long road.

Roughly 85 percent of Eastfield’s students are required to take some level of developmental class before starting college-level classes.

To assist those students needing to take developmental classes, the College Readiness and Mathematics division organized the Developmental Educational Empowerment Project (DEEP), a campus-wide initiative.

The division hosted a series of events on Nov. 5-9, which was designated as DEEP Week, to help those in developmental education meet their goals of earning a degree.

Associate Dean of College Readiness and Mathematics Judith Dumont said retention studies prove the more socially and emotionally engaged students are on campus, the more likely they are to graduate and succeed in the professional world.

“Community college is like a revolving door,” Dumont said to students attending the DEEP Week kickoff event. “You come to class, you get your work and you leave. Getting you in this room was a challenge because [of that].”

To earn an associate’s degree, students need to earn 62 credit hours, which translates into about 20 classes if they are “college ready” and no developmental classes are needed.

Being college-ready entails having the necessary skills to succeed in English 1301, Speech 1311 and college-level math. A 2.0 GPA or higher is also required.

The Accuplacer test measures students’ ability to critically analyze readings, write effectively and clearly, deduce math problems and use basic computer skills. A poor score on the Accuplacer can result in a much longer path to graduation.

The Accuplacer must be taken to enroll in classes. The results determine what level students are at and whether they need to take developmental classes.

“The Accuplacer test is your fate

in college,” Dumont said. “After you take that test, you get a score that will lock you in at a certain level.”

Dumont also said the other reason why testing is required is because college-level skills are generally not attained simply by earning a high school diploma or a GED. Students also need to know what level they’re at in order to make smarter choices and move quickly through developmental classes.

Different “tracks” are offered to students, including the traditional, 16-week semester, 12-week late start track, the eight-week accelerated rate track and the four-week tracks, which are generally offered in the summer, winter or Maymester.

Different teaching styles such as self-paced, lecture, Internet, hybrid, modularized and non-course-based remediation are also offered.

According to the developers of DEEP Week, students have to be selfaware to succeed in school.

Work schedules, transportation and study habits are all things to know before considering how many hours to take and when to take them.

For instance, students who stay out until 2 a.m. shouldn’t take an 8 a.m. class.

“I learned that I have to be real with myself when I make my schedule,” science major Jazamin Hollis said. “I have to ask myself about my schedule and my time.

Another suggestion for students is to set up an appointment with an adviser and register early.

“Before, I have been labeled that I’m not really college material because of my bad habits or I’m not as fast-paced as other students are,” freshman psychology major Maggie Vega said. “I felt like what [Dumont] said motivated me to say that I am college material.”

DEEP Week provided students with information and motivated them to become college-ready.

“If we can bring everyone together and get a nice vibe and get a nice energy going of trust and partnership, then I feel like students will be more likely to participate,” Dumont said.

“Not only beyond the classroom experience, but also in designing and engineering their own way.”

Students count calories, carbs to win prizes

By Jimmy Ambassa etc4640@dcccd.edu

What has so many calories that, if converted into energy, is able to power a 60-watt light bulb for 1.5 hours? A single slice of cheesecake.

How many calories can fuel a car for up to 88 miles? 217.

Those were a couple of the questions posed at the Fast Food Game Show, a trivia event held Oct. 30 that taught students about the impact of fast food on their diets.

The event was held in conjunction with the common book, “Fast Food Nation.”

The trivia contest opened with the question “What is a calorie?” This marked the start of a competition in which participants could win one of many prizes for answering questions correctly.

After audience members shouted out the various reasons why they like fast food, the game show challenged them to arrange six food items in order, from the fewest to the highest calories. Then they compared several major fast-food chains.

Biology professor Barbara Carr decided to host the session on the nutritional contents of fast-food restaurants and their impact after seeing how her students viewed food.

“It became apparent to me that my students were not very knowledgeable about the nutritional content of food,” Carr said. “So I thought of a fun way they could learn.”

ODESSA LEEPER/THE ET CETERA

Barbara Carr shares fast-food trivia facts.

The trivia competition challenged students’ knowledge of food components such as carbohydrates, which only provide short-term energy, and lipids that provide long-term energy.

Double Gulp drinks sold at 7-11 were among the items to avoid, along with Sunny D, Vitamin Water, Jell-O, and Starbucks cinnamon dolce lattes.

Suggestions from the book “Eat This, Not That!” by David Zinczenko were used.

Carr advised students to be more aware of the growing obesity epidemic sweeping the nation.

Her trivia co-star, developmental writing and English instructor Selena Stewart-Alexander, stressed the need for students to react to what they learned.

“I hope they learned to be more conscious of what they actually put in their mouths,” she said.

“We wanted to present this in a fun way so they would pay more attention.”

Students who attended said they realized they need to make some major changes to avoid obesity. Jose Rodriguez, who is majoring in logistics in applied management, felt motivated to start a healthier lifestyle.

“I realized that calories is not just a word,” he said. “When I walked in, I grabbed a soda. Now I still have it in my bag. I think my sweet tooth is actually gone because I learned that if I’m not going to be active, I should not eat, because I’m going to get wider.”

The event challenged contestants to choose ways to lose weight without dieting over a fouryear period. It demonstrated that eating a grilled chicken sandwich is better than a Southwest salad with crispy chicken at McDonald’s because there are fewer calories and fats in the sandwich.

Carr believes the growing trend of obesity is due to a lack of accurate knowledge of fast food.

“It [boils down] to knowledge, attitude and practice,” Carr said. “[They] need to have knowledge about what’s good and what’s bad.”

NEWS

Briefs Phi Theta Kappa offers tutoring help for students before finals

Phi Theta Kappa is holding tutoring sessions for all levels of math and science on Dec. 6-7 from 9 a.m. to noon and 5-7 p.m.

Tutoring will also be offered on Dec. 8 from 9 a.m. to noon. Any student can attend. For more information, contact William Ballard at 214-315-3021 or by email at efcptkha@gmail.com.

Rollinson, Washington honored for support of military students

Employees Ron Rollinson and Michael Washington were given certificates of commendation from the Military Order of the World Wars at the recent DCCCD board of trustees meeting for supporting women and men of the military who continue their education at Eastfield.

Bookstore sponsors toy drive for Scottish Rite patients

On Nov. 12-Dec. 14 there will be a box in the bookstore to collect toys and other needs for the patients of Scottish Rite Hospital.

A detailed needs list is available in the bookstore.

TCCIL state award is named after Grigsby

During the Texas Community College Instructional Leadership (TCCIL) Conference in Austin, the Dean of Career/Technical Programming, Dr. Lindle Grigsby, was named the first recipient of TCCIL’s Leadership Award.

From now on, the award will be named Lindle Grigsby Leadership Award.

Student newspaper wins national awards in Chicago

The Et Cetera racked up four national awards at the National College Media Convention in Chicago. The newspaper was one of only nine two-year schools in the nation honored as Pacemaker finalists. Also, Eastfield graduate and former Et Cetera cartoonist Cody Richeson took third place in the nation for his comic strip, “College!” and also received an honorable mention for editorial cartooning. The Et Cetera also capped off the weekend by winning third place in Best of Show.

— Anjulie Van Sickle

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The Et Cetera

The Price of Knowledge Shop smart when buying textbooks The beginning of a new semester can be a hectic time. After figuring out tuition and buying new supplies, it’s easy to just purchase all of the required books in one convenient place.

Sometimes this can be the best choice.

Other times, doing research and comparing prices is the way to go.

This graphic compares the prices of books that are purchased for four core classes from the campus bookstore, Amazon.com and Chegg.com.

The campus bookstore is a one-stop shop for all of the required textbooks. However, sometimes its prices aren’t the least expensive.

Amazon.com offers users the chance to buy new or used books, and it often has the lowest prices.

Chegg.com offers its users low prices for rented textbooks and includes free shipping to the Chegg warehouse.

GOVT 2302

HIST 1301

ENGL 1301

ENGL 1302

ISBN: 02052517722

ISBN: 0205214959

ISBN: 0205829872

ISBN: 0840027753

CAMPUS BOOKSTORE

CAMPUS BOOKSTORE

TO BUY AMAZON.COM

$55.60

CAMPUS BOOKSTORE

TO BUY AMAZON.COM

$66.15

$119.25

$48.69

TO BUY AMAZON.COM

$60.70

$100.62

$116.55 $101.10

CAMPUS BOOKSTORE TO BUY AMAZON.COM

TO BUY CAMPUS BOOKSTORE

TO BUY CAMPUS BOOKSTORE

TO BUY CAMPUS BOOKSTORE

TO RENT

$33.04

NOT AVAILABLE

TO RENT

TO RENT

TO RENT

CHEGG.COM

CHEGG.COM

CHEGG.COM

$58.25 CHEGG.COM

$58.99 TO RENT

$27.80 $22.49 TO RENT

$47.49 TO RENT

TO BUY CAMPUS BOOKSTORE

$33.49 TO RENT

DANYELLE ROQUEMORE/THE ET CETERA

Students take on candidates’ positions at debate

By Keturah Jones etc4640@dcccd.edu

Students and faculty gathered in the performance hall on Nov. 1 to debate who would be the better candidate to lead our country, Mitt Romney or President Barack Obama.

Student debaters Ginny Morris and Gregory Garcia represented the Republicans. Sara Vincent and Floyd Clifton represented the Democrats.

The debaters were asked about their party’s views on the issues of same-sex marriage, war expenses, the economy and health-care reform.

The debate was moderated by Dr. Glynn Newman and speech professor Courtney Brazile. It began with two-minute opening statements by the debaters, including quotes from each party.

“If you roll up your sleeves and if you’ll work with me, we will win this

election again,” Vincent said, quoting Obama. “We will finish what we started and remind the world why we, the United States of America, are the greatest nation on Earth.”

Garcia opened with a promise to the audience.

“My ultimate goal is to leave you more well-informed than when you came in here,” he said.

The first question to the debaters was how each candidate would fix the economy and get Americans back to work.

Vincent broke down Obama’s stimulus package and admitted that there was still much work to be done.

Garcia rebutted, claiming that the stimulus package “is a broken window fallacy on steroids.”

The second round of questions tackled the issue of immigration.

Clifton explained how the Dream Act through Obama’s platform would

ODESSA LEEPER/THE ET CETERA

Democratic representative Sara Vincent tells the audience why they should re-elect President Barack Obama.

benefit both the taxpayers and the illegal immigrants who already live in the U.S. but are currently getting

benefits “under the table’” Morris emphasized the importance of securing our borders.

“The next family that comes across may be a family seeking safety and a place to raise their kids, or it may be a terrorist or a drug lord,” Morris said.

“We just don’t know.”

Morris said another four years of Obama’s leadership would ruin the country. Then she encouraged the audience to vote.

“You may not think that your vote counts, but it does,” Morris said. “It’s your right, please don’t miss out.”

Clifton said if Romney is elected president, the rich will get richer and the poor will get poorer.

The event ended with the debaters receiving a standing ovation.

After the event, audience members participated in a poll about who won the debate. The Democrat debaters received 62 percent of the vote while the Republican debaters took 17 percent. Eighteen percent of the voters were undecided.

7 The Et Cetera

www.eastfieldnews.com

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Beyond the classroom

Forrest ignites passion in students, changes lives

By Jimmy Ambassa etc4640@dcccd.edu

Dr. Mary Forrest was the first instructor hired to teach speech at Eastfield when the college opened its doors back in the fall of 1970.

Almost 43 years later, she is still one of the most popular instructors on campus.

Miss Mary, as her students call her, has an attitude that is contagious, and her teaching style is impacting her students long-term.

“Mary is infectious. She was one of the first people in my life who genuinely cared about me,” said former student Dillan Louis. “My early dealings with Mary influenced me because she made me feel I could always do my very best. I went on to graduate in the top 2 percent of my class at SMU.” Many students at the college have come to know Forrest through her Communication Club, which focuses on service projects and helping students realize their potential. Communication Club secretary Angel Monsivais said the club helped him overcome obstacles in his life.

“I’m usually very shy and I don’t talk to people in public, but Miss Mary and the club helped me build leadership skills so I can speak in public,” Monsivais said. “She really invests in the club because she wants to make great leaders.”

In addition to the time she spends with the club and its various activities, fundraisers and retreats, Forrest also provides one-on-one tutoring to students.

She even created her own scholarship foundation, which has helped countless students stay in school.

“In the summer, I don’t have financial aid, so I didn’t have the money to take classes to get ahead,” psychology major and Communication Club president Eduardo Perez said. “The scholarship she gave me helped me take two courses and get two A’s to get ahead.”

Forrest’s dedication to her students has earned her many accolades, including a nomination for Outstanding Teacher in Texas, the NISOD Excellence in Teaching Award, and the Outstanding Teaching Award from Texas A&M-Commerce.

Prior to coming to Eastfield, Forrest also taught at Justin F. Kimball High School in Oak Cliff, where her students included actress Belita

JIMMY AMBASSA/THE ET CETERA

Mary Forrest creates relationships with her students that last years after they graduate.

Moreno from the ABC sitcom “George Lopez,” former Dallas mayor and current Washington lobbyist Steve Bartlett, and character actor Stephen Tobolowsky.

At Kimball, Forrest would often clock in as early as 7 a.m. and leave as late as 11 p.m. while teaching forensics and directing plays.

“I was required at that time to do some kind of theatrical performance once a month,” Forrest said.

Over time, devoting so much to her students created a serious strain on her relationship with her husband.

Eventually, the 14-year relationship ended in divorce because her then-husband told her he couldn’t handle the fact that she was always spending time with her students.

The divorce was difficult for Forrest because

she had also watched her father leave her mother when she was only 6 years old.

“The end of my first marriage was hard because it was the second abandonment,” she said. “I had a hard time trusting men again.”

At that point, Forrest realized she wanted to do more than teach. She resigned from her high school teaching job in 1968 and decided to go back to school.

A year later, while working on her master’s degree in fine arts at SMU, she met Gym Forrest. They married two years later, and Forrest began teaching again, this time at Eastfield.

She continued to spend long hours with her new students, helping them perform at their highest level. With clear communication and the support of her husband, she was also able to pursue a doctoral degree.

She intensified her philanthropic spirit by making sure that her scholarship foundation was available to the students who needed it most.

“I believe to teach is to touch a life forever, and I saw there were students that didn’t have money like I didn’t when I started college,” Forrest said. “I thought if I could help a few students with money, then that would get them started on their lives, their education and their career.”

Though she has been heavily involved with her responsibilities at Eastfield, Forrest has been able to find a balance between teaching and the education of her own children. Her son, Jason, now a successful motivational speaker, recalled that he was always held to a higher standard in speech and theater.

“As a teacher, you must lead people to see more in themselves,” he said. “She taught me to use my platform as a vehicle to change people’s lives.”

Forrest still stays very busy, often taking her work home with her. Sometimes, she is reminded by her husband that she’s working too much or that they haven’t spent quality time together.

“He’s very supportive of my work and is proud of what I have done with students, but he will actually say, ‘This is my time with you; this is the time I need you,’” Forrest said.

Long-time colleagues such as Upward Bound administrative assistant Sandy Hampton admire Forrest’s determination to give so much to her students.

“She turns [students’] thinking around,” Hampton said, “from not focusing only on their academic goals, but also changing other peoples’ lives.”

Forrest still loves teaching, but she knows the time will soon come when she has to call it quits.

“I don’t want to stop, but I realize I’m not getting younger,” Forrest said. “When I retire, I will spend more time with my family, especially with my grandchildren.”

Her students and members of her club have a hard time envision a Eastfield without Forrest on campus.

“As a student you work harder in your classes because of the work ethic you have to put in for Miss Mary,” Monsivais said. “You want to do the same for yourself.”

8

The Et Cetera

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

EDUCATION

that WORKS

LIFE & ARTS

9

The Et Cetera

www.eastfieldnews.com

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

From cats to cathedrals: Brass ensemble hits high note

By Anjulie Van Sickle etc4640@dcccd.edu

People take their seats as the performers shuffle their papers and tune their instruments. The director taps his baton on his music stand to call the group to attention.

The musicians make sure everything is in place to start. They look expectantly at their leader for direction.

As the sound of the pieces from the early Renaissance to the 21st century fill the auditorium, the audience taps their feet in appreciation.

Directed by Philip Graham, the Early Brass Ensemble performed a wide variety of music for the students, staff and faculty who attended the college’s Wednesday Recital Series on Oct. 31.

From trumpet to bugle horn, each instrument had its own unique sound, and each member had his or her own story to tell.

“They’re all successful business people,” Graham said of his fellow musicians. “We have some very wealthy guys who love to play brass. It’s a very eclectic group of people.”

Some are band directors, some are engineers, and others are insurance adjusters. There are a very wide variety of interests within the group.

To match the diversity of its players, the ensemble included pieces as wide-ranging as those that would be played in a European cathedral to pieces inspired by a composer’s cats.

Dr. Oscar Passley, the college’s director of music, decided to bring the ensemble to the school two years ago after a suggestion from an acquaintance.

“It was a collaborative effort, and everybody here wanted to do it,” Passley said. “It’s a class, and we have fun. It’s a win-win situation [for everyone.]”

Passley, who has been playing the trumpet for roughly 19 years, said he enjoys playing the instrument in the ensemble. He also dabbles in piano and saxophone on the side.

Graham said the dedication of all the group’s members is impressive.

“It’s a group that just really loves to play for playing sake,” Graham said. “Everyone’s ready to play by 7 a.m.”

Graham played trombone for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra for about 30 years. He has conducted choir and orchestra at his church for 20 years.

“I just wave, you guys make the notes,” Graham said to the members of the ensemble.

The ensemble has been together for two years.

However, some of its members have been playing together as many as 25 years.

Graham said the ensemble is looking forward to playing at the college again in the spring.

Those in the audience at the fall performance were appreciative of the experience.

“It was educational, and I liked the assortment of instruments,” continuing education professor Frank Curtis said. “I enjoyed it, and I enjoy all of the Wednesday concerts.”

ODESSA LEEPER/THE ET CETERA

The Early Brass Ensemble plays during the Wednesday Recital Series on Oct. 31 in the Performance Hall. The instruments ranged from a tuba to a piccolo.

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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

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The Et Cetera

Most ridiculous reality television shows Bling It On

Weddings, dating, child pageants and makeovers — when it comes to reality TV, no stone goes unturned.

But even the craziest of these shows seem ordinary when compared to what we’ve found.

Network: TLC Thursday, 9 p.m.

Boston fashion designer Sondra Celli has one mission in life: to make every outfit fabulous. To do this, she needs determination, originality and a few thousand rhinestones. Her dresses and accessories are madeto-order by a small team made up of herself and her “blingettes,” and constant deadlines only force them to work faster. Whether you want a simple dress adorned with mink and blinking lights or a bedazzled pacifier, this “My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding” star has you covered.

Hillbilly Handfishin’ Network: Animal Planet Sunday, 7 p.m.

Skipper Bivins and Trent Jackson are passionate about noodling: the sport of fishing with only your bare hands and feet. These Oklahomabased, self-proclaimed hillbillies want to share their passion with the world, starting with tourist city folk.

Every episode, they take a small group on a noodling expedition in rural lakes and rivers. The tourists then break off into teams and compete to catch the biggest fish, putting their noodling skills to the test as they are forced to rely on their sense of touch in the murky waters. Expect to see a lot of mud in this Southernfried adventure.

Whisker Wars Network: IFC Friday, 9 p.m.

In today’s competitive world, just about anything can be turned into a contest. Follow two-time Natural Full Beard world champion Jack Passion and his fellow “beards-

Shipping Wars Network: A&E Tuesday, 8 and 8:30 p.m.

COURTESY OF ANIMAL PLANET

Skipper Bivins (left) and Trent Jackson are ready to show the world how to use their feet to catch a fish.

men” into the world of competitive beard-growing, where every whisker matters. Narrated and produced by Emmy award-winning Thom Beers, who also narrated shows such as “Deadliest Catch” and “Ice Road Truckers,” this hair-raising show is too strange to pass up.

Duck Dynasty Network: A&E Wednesday, 9 p.m.

“Duck Dynasty” is a classic ragsto-riches story. After years of living in poverty in Louisiana swampland, the Robertson family suddenly hit it

big with its handcrafted duck calls, forming the Duck Commander company in 1973. Former CEO Phil Robertson spent 25 years developing his “Duck Commander” duck call in a worn-down shed before creating his multi-million dollar empire. His family business is still going strong.

It seems anyone can get a reality show deal these days. “Shipping Wars” follows a select group of independent shippers who transport items other companies cannot. Once they “win” a job in a reverse auction on uShip.com, the shippers must deliver their cargo before the client’s deadline. At the end of each episode, their expenses — fuel and latedelivery penalties, for example - are counted on-screen and subtracted from the original bid, determining an overall profit or loss.

— Compiled by Caitlin Piper

Honestly, ‘Lincoln’ is must-see blockbuster

Day-Lewis plays politics in new Spielberg film

By Angel U. Abarca etc4640@dcccd.edu

Steven Spielberg has done it again, this time giving viewers a look into the life of one of the nation’s most iconic presidents, Abraham Lincoln.

“Lincoln” is about a man who was willing to lay everything on the line for what he believed in.

He doesn’t take no for an answer, especially when it comes to the delicate subject of abolishing slavery. He allowed the Civil War to rage on just

to make a point.

Lincoln wanted Congress to approve the 13th Amendment, guaranteeing freedom to people of all races, creeds, colors and religions.

Most of “Lincoln” tackles the month-long fight for passage of the all-important amendment.

But within those 31 days of January 1865 we see what kind of man Lincoln was and how he manages to keep his mind focused despite dealing with the death of his young son and the 750,000 other young men killed in the Civil War. “Lincoln” portrays the story of a true American hero, played by twotime Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis.

Lewis manages to show the former president’s greatness, combining his humanity with an undying fortitude.

Aside from Daniel Day-Lewis, “Lincoln” also features strong acting from veterans like Tommy Lee Jones along with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Sally Field, David Strathairn, John Hawkes, and James Spader.

“Lincoln” is a captivating and consuming study of the president. The movie feels real and grips the audiences from start to finish.

The film is not perfect and has its flaws, like Lincoln being portrayed as an all-knowing human being that could fix everything.

However, this is a film that is relevant to the present state of the nation, when the president is constantly fighting with Congress in order to pass legislation.

COURTESY OF WALT DISNEY STUDIO MOTION PICTURES

Abraham Lincoln, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, rides through the wartorn countryside.

11 The Et Cetera

www.eastfield.com

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Mexican college students use social media for change

By Justin David Tate etc4640@dcccd.edu

Social media has been used to spawn social change from Arab Spring to Occupy Wall Street. This summer, Twitter and Youtube helped catapult another youth-led movement in Mexico.

In May, college students from Ibero-American University protested Mexican presidential candidate Enrique Peña Nieto as he made a campaign stop on their campus. Students criticized Peña Nieto for his handling of a group of farmers protesting the repossession of their land to build a new airport. As then-governor of the State of Mexico, he ordered state police to break up the protest on May 3, 2006.

The protest ended in violence, taking many lives, including that of 14-year-old Javier Cortes Santiago, who was shot at close range by police.

No one was held accountable.

After speaking at the university, Peña Nieto publicly dismissed the students as spies planted by opposing parties. The students took to the Internet to respond.

# Y o S o y132

DANYELLE ROQUEMORE/THE ET CETERA

“[The students] went onto YouTube and 131 of them appeared in this video and showed their school I.D. and stated their name to prove they belonged to the university,” said University of Dallas doctoral student Toni Salazar Loftin, who recently spoke at Eastfield.

Salazar Loftin spent years researching the growing pool of ideas in social media. She’s spoken at various colleges about social media and how it’s used in reporting the unfold-

ing drug war in Mexico.

After the students launched the video, Twitter users also began posting it. A hashtag called #YoSoy132 was created.

“It literally means ‘I am the 132nd student,’” Salazar Loftin said. “It’s a way of showing solidarity to the 131 students who made the YouTube video.”

She compared the YoSoy132 Movement to the Occupy Movement in the U.S. and Arab Spring demon-

strations in the Middle East as examples of young people protesting the direction their country is taking.

Through social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, the YoSoy132 Movement has grown and organized its efforts to challenge the way the media portrays and questions Mexican politicians.

“The YoSoy132 Movement became a legitimate organization and had the candidates get together and hold a debate on television [June 19],” Salazar Loftin said. “Three of the four candidates showed up for the debate. Peña Nieto did not.”

Peña Nieto’s party, Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI), which stands for Institutional Revolutionary Party in English, has been accused of offering grocery vouchers and other gifts for votes in the poverty-stricken areas of Mexico.

History professor Katherine Cloer has taught students who have recounted firsthand experiences with what the party does to win power.

“I have students who come here who say their family voted for him,” she said. “They’re giving [the families] stuff, and it’s hard to turn away.”

Though Peña Nieto won the Mexican presidency in July, Salazar Loftin is interested to see how far the #YoSoy132 Movement can go.

“It’s worth keeping an eye on to see if the movement grows to influence policies and elections, or if it’s just something that remains an Internet phenomenon that disaffected people join but doesn’t have any real power,” she said.

As the movement presses forward with its agenda to make government transparent and provide fair political news coverage, its followers on Twitter and Facebook are growing.

What was once a group of 131 has now grown to accumulate almost 65,000 followers on the movement’s official Twitter page. The official YouTube channel has more than 450,000 views.

“I think it’s a good thing when young people in any country get involved in a direct way in their democracy,” one of Salazar Loftin’s colleagues, history professor Matt Hinckley, said. “There’s no country in the world that couldn’t benefit from more direct participation [from its youth].”

THE HOT TOPIC

Who are you thankful to most for where you are today?

Hyam Elaya Computer-Aided Design

Melissa Boyd Real estate

Julio Rango Construction engineer

Wanda Newsom Nursing

Layton Sanford General Studies

“I’m thankful for my sister.

She is a civil engineer. She pushed me and inspired me to reach my goals.

Through my sister, I found my life’s passion.”

“I’m a single mother that has been laid off for four years. I give thanks to God and my granddaughter Adreana. She gives me so much joy and uplifts me.”

“My parents have supported me and stood by me throughout high school. They are helping me pay for college. I also give thanks to my teachers from last year.”

“First, I give thanks to God. Then I give thanks to my children, who are 24 and 17 years old. They are a big motivation for me.

They are inspiring me to complete school.”

“I’m thankful for a band called Five Finger Death Punch. I listen to their music daily. They have kept me from making life decisions that I would have regretted.”

Man poses as female officer

Fabian Vazquez was arrested for impersonating a female police officer Thursday in Laredo, Texas after asking a man to pay $3,000 in parking citations. Vazquez told the man if he didn’t pay, he’d be arrested. Hours later, the man was able to gather $2,100 from friends and family. However, one of the victim’s friends called police, who uncovered the scam. They recovered the money and arrested Vazquez, who is now out on bond.

Hot chicken on the highway

A truck carrying 40,000 pounds of frozen chickens caught fire on its way to a supermarket in Chili, N.Y. The truck driver wasn’t injured. Fire officials said the chicken was being transported from Mississippi going to Wegmans Distribution Center southwest of Rochester. Part of the highway was closed early Friday.

— The Associated Press

12 13 The Et Cetera

Anjulie Van Sickle

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

I’m so terribly sick of hearing about politics

Eastfield College 3737 Motley Drive Mesquite, TX 75150 Phone: 972-860-7130 Fax: 972-860-7646 Email: etc4640@dcccd.edu Editor In Chief Justin David Tate Managing Editor Claudia J. Guerra Design Editor Chris Guerra-Yanger News Editor Keturah Jones Opinion Editor Anjulie Van Sickle Life & Arts Editor Sidney Murillo Sports Editor Kevin Cushingberry Jr. Online/Social Media Editor Danyelle Roquemore

Copy Editors Caitlin Piper Enrique Morales Staff Writers Angel Abarca Jimmy Ambassa Marimar Lazaro Sergio Léon Ginny Morris Miguel Padilla Braulio Tellez Photographers Odessa Leeper Griselda Torres Cartoonist Jonathon Wences Graphics & Layout Chadney Cantrell Student Publications Manager Lori Dann Faculty Adviser Caitlin Stanford 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.

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 must be 250 words or fewer. Letters may be delivered to Room N-240 or emailed 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, November 14, 2012

OUR VIEW

New vending machine content is a contradiction Even before the announcement of our Common Book, “Fast Food Nation,” many on campus were encouraging us to stay healthy and fit.

A track, tennis courts, swimming pool and weight room are all available to us, and our Subway meals are meticulously inspected for every calorie and gram of fat. So the selection of Eric Schlosser’s bestseller about the hazards of greasy food was only natural.

In honor of the book, we’ve hosted numerous guest speakers and even a weight-loss competition, all in an effort to spread nutritional awareness and help us keep the weight off for good.

However, the new beverage vending machines, about half of which include Monster and Red Bull energy drinks as an option, directly contradict these healthy initiatives.

Junk food in vending machines is nothing new, and there’s nothing wrong with having an occasional candy bar or bottle of soda.

Sometimes we just need a pick-me-up on a stressful day, or an extra caffeine boost after a long night of studying.

But no one can deny just how unhealthy these drinks really are.

A single 16-ounce can of Monster energy drink includes 54 grams of carbs and a 5,000-milligram “Energy Blend” made up of sugar, caffeine and vitamin

supplements.

While the vitamin supplements can benefit your body, a large dosage can prove harmful to your health.

The amount of caffeine alone is equivalent to five or six cups of coffee.

In fact, there have been reports of five deaths and one non-fatal heart attack involving people who have consumed Monster. The allegations date all the way back to 2004.

As for Red Bull, an eight-ounce can includes 28 grams of carbs, 26 grams of sugar and 80 grams of caffeine. This is much less harmful to your body than a can of Monster, but it’s hardly a healthy choice.

We understand that the college is just trying to make a profit, and we stress that many of these items are fine in moderation.

We also applaud the decision to include “Choice Plus” foods in the snack vending machines. These items include fewer calories, grams of fat, sugar and sodium, among other things.

However, it seems highly hypocritical to lecture us about the dangers of junk food and lack of exercise while making these unhealthy drink selections so easily available.

It’s one thing to offer chips and candy. It’s quite another to provide drinks with dangerously high amounts of caffeine and sugar.

The elections are finally over, and everyone can breathe a sigh of relief.

Before last week, every news channel, every radio station and every person was abuzz with the latest political news.

Even though the elections are over — really, guys, they’re over — people are still going on and on about conspiracies and ranting about how they don’t like the Electoral College.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m no big fan of how the votes are counted, but there comes a point when we have to get on with our lives.

Some had cause to celebrate and some had cause to mourn when the final votes were tallied.

However, some of those watching took it a bit too far.

While at the Republican watch party in Dallas on election night, I watched as virtually everyone ingested vast amounts of alcohol. I’m not just talking about a glass or two of champagne, but the heavy stuff.

Alcohol was in abundance before and after the results were announced.

My stomach churned and my head ached as the smell of alcohol filled the air in the ballroom at the Hilton Lincoln Center. It was completely inescapable.

As the results came in, the reason behind the drinking went in a negative direction for Republican supporters.

As it slowly sank in that their candidate wouldn’t win, they drank more and more.

Again, I get it. We all need our own time of grieving — even I needed a period of time to get over my depression — but does it have to involve getting drunk?

People need to get on with their lives and start thinking about how we, as individuals, can start helping the country, not just sitting there and complaining about it.

OPINION

13

The Et Cetera

www.eastfieldnews.com

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Change is more than money

While walking to the library recently, a man in a torn shirt approached me on a bicycle. He appeared to be homeless and asked for some change so he could eat.

My first response to his inquiry was to offer to buy him a burger from McDonald’s, which was further down the road.

The homeless man repeatedly turned down my offer, then got on his bicycle and left.

Why does an allegedly hungry man only want money and reject an offer to buy him food?

The logical conclusion is he was either mentally unstable or his real intention was to buy alcohol or drugs.

Justin David Tate

Because of encounters like this, unless I have a place for that man to stay, clothes to put on his back or food to put in his belly, why am I even stopping?

I asked my friends why they give money freely to the homeless. They said never even think about it.

They merely react on impulse to give without pondering how effec-

tive their generosity is.

Giving money without seeing if it actually solves a problem is not effective.

Some may say, “Well it’s only a dollar.” But a dollar that helps a crackhead buy more crack or an alcoholic buy more alcohol is a wasted dollar. These “pity dollars” only perpetuate the substance abuse.

While in Indianapolis during the week of Super Bowl XLVI, I rode the bus every day to work a Pepsi promotion downtown.

One day a homeless man stopped me and asked for a sandwich. I scanned the place for a store that served sandwiches.

I didn’t check for the cheapest

Go find what you love; it might turn into your future Growing up, I was told an education is the most important thing a person can have in life. In the three years I have spent at Eastfield, I can attest to the truths in that philosophy.

When I began attending college, I didn’t know what I wanted to do in life.

Then I joined the newspaper.

As I knocked out credit hours, I also honed my writing skills, discovered new things and visited places I never thought I would.

I was editor-in-chief in 2010 and led our paper to its first Pacemaker award, one of the most prestigious honors a college publication can receive.

I covered elections, met brilliant musicians, wrote about amazing artists and heard captivating stories about people who defied adversity.

The experiences I have had with The Et Cetera molded me into a smarter, more open-minded person and have helped me choose the path I will take in life.

I was tasked with guiding a handful of writers, designers, photographers and editors and producing a quality newspaper every other week.

Managing a staff of reporters and editors was unfamiliar to me and something I had never even considered doing. But my passion for writing, along with my amazing adviser, helped me take the job and run with it.

I attended state and national journal-

Braulio Tellez

ist conventions, which took me to states I never thought I would visit. The Et Cetera opened new doors for me, led me to experience new cultures and expanded my view on the world.

Before my student media experience, I had never left the borders of Texas or even flown on a plane.

Today, I am forever grateful for the things I have learned since the first day I stepped into the newsroom.

Becoming involved in extra-curricular activities such as theater or student government is important when attending college.

These groups give students the opportunity to become leaders, innovators and great problem solvers, all of which are keys to becoming a successful person.

I encourage every student to find a club or organization on campus you like and join it. Make the most of your college experience and pursue things you are passionate about.

You never know, you may just find something you decide to do for the rest of your life.

price, I didn’t tell him no, and I certainly didn’t just drop money in his hands and leave.

I told him yes and had him come with me to choose a sandwich. I bought one for myself, too, and we talked and ate a little before I had to jet to work.

That is how giving should be done.

I’m not saying homeless people are bad people, but they need more than just change to change their lives.

If they are struggling with an addiction, they aren’t in their right mind.

A dollar could be used to buy a burger, but that old itch for a fix

could prevent them from using that money in a positive way.

On Sunday when Et Cetera staffers were leaving the National College Media Convention in Chicago, we had one last meal at Timothy O’Toole’s Pub. We left with several boxes of leftovers.

A man on the street asked us if we could spare some food, and we gave willingly.

He had plenty of food, and we walked away knowing our gift was going to someone in need.

Money isn’t going to solve everything. Sometimes it’s the coat off your back or the food from your plate that can make the biggest difference.

Twitter is more than a 140-character message

Twitter really is a lovely concept when you think about it. You just have to really filter yourself and shed the excess word fat from your ideas — if you have any ideas worth sharing.

Not every tweet is Bartlett’s worthy. Some are rants about politics, emotional Drake lyrics and spam. Those we can all do without.

Twitter was created to network and connect with people without having to deal with topics that don’t interest you. It’s easy, and it’s really selfrunning.

Hashtags — symbolized by the # sign — are the root word of the subject addressed. You can type a word or phrase in the search engine and find virtually any subject. But some tweeters are having a hard time adopting this concept.

Believe it or not, there is a right way to tweet. #Andmakingupahashtagtogetyourpointacrossisnottherightwaytogo.

It seems like everyone is creating his or her own “brand” or persona online these days. But only a handful of them are actually succeeding.

What does it take to have a successful brand?

And how do you know you are there?

We can’t all be Kim Kardashians and Lady Gagas, with millions of followers. But we can tweet responsibly and condense our messages to 140 characters.

For example, a Twitter author named Teju Cole created “Simple Tweets of Fate” by taking headlines from Nigerian newspapers and condensing the main idea into a tweet, 140-character fashion.

Here’s a sample: “Not far from the Surulere workshop where spray-painter Alawiye Sidney worked, a policeman fired Murillo into the air. Gravity did the rest.”

He adds the perfect amount of wit and satire in his tweets, but he doesn’t fail to consider the serious tone of the surrounding culture. He uses Twitter to his advantage and creates his brand.

To older generations, Twitter, Instagram and other social media tools seem to be just phases, trends and fads. They call us the generation of the 10-second attention span. Actually, its pretty surprising that you’ve read this far into the column.

However, the important thing is what we do with those 10 seconds.

I had a rough run with Twitter. It was difficult to get on board with it at first. I deleted my account twice before nesting in with Twitter.

I was like most Twitter users – tweeting about the weather and celebrity gossip. Networking is what brought me in, but then I started following a blog called “Hello Giggles” that was co-founded

by Zooey Deschanel, and I began following some of the bloggers on Twitter.

On this blog, I met other people kind of like me. I started finding my voice beyond sad and sappy song lyrics. Soon, others were following me too.

“I like to look at people funny who like to look at people funny.” That’s one of mine.

So yeah, follow me on Twitter @BittahBandit.

And hey, if you are an OK tweeter, then I might follow you back.

BASKETBALL RESULTS

Nov. 2 Eastfield 105, Northwood 58 Nov. 3 Eastfield 86, El Centro 57 Nov. 5 Eastfield 143, Paul Quinn 90 Nov. 7 Eastfield 109, Texas Wesleyan 61

14

Love & Basketball The Et Cetera

A player finds his way back home

By Kevin Cushingberry Jr. etc4640@dcccd.edu

Mike Love was a long way from his West Mesquite roots when he packed up his sneakers two years ago and headed to Salina, Kan., to play basketball for Kansas Wesleyan University.

“It was kind of crazy,” Love said. “My freshman coach, Coach [Jeremy] Moore from West Mesquite, put in a couple good words for me. I went and tried out, and they liked me.”

Love started out on the varsity squad at Kansas Wesleyan, but he was moved down to junior varsity so he could get more playing time.

Love quickly began to feel alone and homesick in Salina.

“It was cold,” Love said. “The nearest town was 30 miles away. They didn’t even have a Jack in the Box. It wasn’t what I expected.”

In addition to Love’s struggles, his head coach was diagnosed with cancer at the end of the season, and a replacement coach was hired.

“There was just a bunch of stuff going on,” he said. “I had to decide if it was worth it or not for me to go back to Kansas Wesleyan. I decided I’d try to get a fresh start.”

Love decided to transfer to a school that recruited him in high school: Eastfield.

“I looked down on [Eastfield] at first,” Love said. “That’s the reason I didn’t come here because I thought ‘It’s a community college; I’m not going anywhere; I’m not doing anything.’

But now I realize the opportunity, and I wish I would have come here straight out of high school.”

Love said he prefers the homey atmosphere of Mesquite. Here, he has family, friends and teammates. In Kansas, he felt he was on his own. He said support from his mom is what he is most thankful for.

“I grew up with a single mom,” he said. “She has always taken care of me and made it work by herself, with three kids.”

Love said last season, when he redshirted but still practiced with the team, helped prepare him for the leadership role he is taking on this year.

“In my redshirt season, I got to see things from the outside looking in,” he said. “When you play, you don’t always see everything.

When you get the chance to watch, it’s a lot

more helpful than just being out there.”

Assistant basketball coach Antonio Richardson said he has seen a full transformation in Love since last year.

“He’s more focused,” Richardson said. “He’s always been athletic; now he’s gotten to the point where his skill set has caught up with his athleticism.”

Love said he is now committed to helping the team be the best it can be.

“To me, basketball is more than just a game.

It’s like life or death, damn near,” Love said. “If we don’t win this game, then that’s a loss that goes on our record for life. I’m trying to have as many wins as possible, and then at the end of the season be able to be on a streak to win the national championship.”

Love and his teammates have put their scholarship aspirations to the side for the benefit of their championship dreams. They all realize that if they are successful as a team, they will achieve their individual goals.

“I feel like if we win a national championship, we’ll all get a scholarship,” Love said. “That shows that we’re elite players. The best way for me or anyone else on the team to get a scholarship is if we win the national championship.

Our starting five might even get picked up by one school. You never know.”

Love accepted a partial scholarship at Kansas Wesleyan, but he had to take out $10,000 in loans. He hopes that won’t be an issue in the future.

“My main goal is to get my school paid for,” he said. “Get my education and hoop too.”

Love, a business major, plans to graduate from Eastfield within the next year.

“Five years from now, I predict [that I will] have a business degree,” he said. “I really want to be overseas hooping. If that doesn’t work out, I’d like to own a business. I’m not exactly sure what kind of business, but I want to sign checks.”

Love is not the only one who sees professional basketball as a possibility in his future.

“If [Love] reaches his full potential, it’s a possibility that one day he can make some money playing this game,” Richardson said.

For now, Love said that he, his teammates and his coaches are focused on a more immediate goal.

“I don’t just want to go 7-3 in conference,” he said. “This is the only year I have to earn a chance to play somewhere else, but winning a national championship is the goal. Nothing else can come before that.”

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

PEDRO JAUREGUI/THE ET CETERA

Mike Love, left, adds to the lead in Eastfield’s first game against Northwood, which the Harvesters won by 47 points.

15 The Et Cetera

www.eastfield.com

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Jonathan’s World By Jonathan Wences

GAMERZ By Armon Reynolds

The Big Fist League? Rakhan, why would you come up with something like that? I mean— what’s the purpose?

A Furry Situation By Stephanie Owen

...What’s the purpose? What’s the purpose! The purpose is to defend fellow creatures who also suffer from the remarks and treatment about their large hands. For far too long, we have been labeled as monsters, freaks, and or bad guys!

This madness must end! I already have signatures from Donkey Kong, Sonic the Werehog, and Wreck-It Ralph! Together we shall cease this negativity!

SUDOKU

Rakhan, I respect your beliefs and everything, but I have a question: Donkey Kong and WreckIt Ralph have both been known as video game villians, so would that wreck your dream? ...Yes, Sachar...It would....

I’m just stating facts, Rakhan. No need to get mad. ...Thank you...so much. (You dreamkiller...)

TRIVIA 1. Who was the first vice president who did not become president?

2. What is the euphamism for smoking marijuana in the sitcom “How I Met Your Mother?”

3. What artist performs the theme song for the new James Bond movie “Skyfall?”

4. What is the second most-spoken language in Australia, behind English?

5. What are Sumo wrestlers known to sprinkle into the ring before each match?

6. For what team did Nolan Ryan pitch when he made his only World Series appearance?

7. How many legs does a crab have?

Answers 1. Aaron Burr; 2. Eating a sandwich; 3. Adele; 4. Italian; 5. Salt 6. New York Mets 7. Eight

Hey Sachar, check it out! I just finished my official manual for the Big Fist League!

16

The Et Cetera

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

S

Class of 2015

Meet sAMuel

amuel, a sophomore originally from Queretaro, Mexico, chose to attend A&M-Commerce because it was close to home and provided the financial support he needed.

As a Regents Scholar, Sam has enjoyed opportunities to develop his leadership skills and global awareness, skills that will be helpful in his future career. Faculty members like Connie Kercher have significantly impacted Sam’s experience in the classroom by encouraging him to think critically about the world around him.

“A&M-Commerce has offered me a home away from my home,” he said. “I have met so many new people, and through the Regent Scholars Program, I have gained a new world perspective, and developed my leadership skills.”

Looking ahead to his sophomore year on campus, Sam looks forward to further developing his leadership skills, and building his network.

“I have survived the first year as a college student, but there are another 3 years to go,” he said. “My plan for these next years is to influence the lives of the people that surround me by setting an example of what a good student is all about, of what it means to be a Regent Scholar, and what it means to be part of A&M-Commerce.”

SCAN thiS QR CODE to learn more about Samuel, watch his video profile and learn how texas A&M University-Commerce can change your future.

WWW.TAMUC.EDU • 903.886.5000 or 888.868.2682 A Member of the texas A&M University System