The Weal November 2018 edition by The Weal, SAITSA's student run publication

WEAL

the

Pullin’ noodles since 1926.

Monthly magazine of the SAIT Students’ Association

Meet you at the Odyssey!

SAIT’s community coffeehouse turns 10

theweal.com

drugsafe.ca Take the full quiz at:

Correct Answer D Cannabis has risks at any age. But until age 25, your brain is still developing. Weed can damage that.

A. 18

B. 21

C. 69

D. 25

At what age is doing weed less harmful?

theWEAL

VOL. 93 ISSUE #4 NOVEMBER 2018

PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR

Sheldon Smith EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Ruwald de Fortier LAYOUT EDITOR

Katie Chau NEWS EDITOR

Sean Feagan NEWS WRITER

Rizwana Shaikh A&E EDITOR

Andrew Bardsley A&E WRITER

Maryam Lehmann LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Tiffany Oud

LIFESTYLE WRITER

Carmen Cundy SPORTS EDITOR

Alex Hamilton SPORTS WRITER

Brett Klassen OPINIONS EDITOR

Emilie Charette STAFF WRITER

John Watson PHOTO EDITOR

Shiva Celine STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Jp Pitogo

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Patrick Concepcion STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Rorie Stannard

Send us your best phone pictures from any of SAIT’s campuses for a chance to be featured right here on our masthead! Calling all: Budding photographers, writers, news hounds, fact-checkers, people with unwavering opinions, designers of all disciplines, copy-editors, social media moguls, wanna-be web-masters, and all those yearning to see their name published in print.

WEAL

Write for the Swing by pitch meetings every Monday at noon in v219 by the SAIT Campus Centre hockey rink. Volunteers get co-curricular record. email ruwald.defortier@edu.sait.ca for more information COVER PHOTO Gabriel Sanchez/SAITSA

CONTRIBUTORS: Jesse Boily Amanda McColl Anoshia Ahmed Megan Maher Catherine Gentile Patti Martin Nokwethemba Moyo

Direct letters, questions and concerns to:

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Ruwald de Fortier ruwald.defortier@edu.sait.ca The Weal V219, 1301-16 Ave. N.W. Calgary, Alberta, T2M 0L4.

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The Weal serves the SAIT community by promoting student activities, presenting news of interest to its members, and by fostering a learning environment in which members may participate; the newspaper is supported by student fees. Contents do not reflect the views of SAIT or SAITSA. Printed direct-to-plate Adobe Acrobat via SAIT’s Graphic Communications and Print Technology program.

theWEAL CONTENTS News

The Odyssey celebrates 10 years of serving SAIT Page 4 Naloxone training on campus: Learn how to save a life Page 6 Doing more for students: New SAITSA strategic plan unveiled Page 8 Lifestyle

Get bakin’ this weekend: Apple crisp recipe Page 27 SAIT Giving Day a massive success Page 28 To travel is to live: Meet instructor of the month, Stephanie Mercredi! Page 30 Sports

Trojans mens volleyball off to a smashing start Page 20 Our sports editor makes peace with esports Page 19 Get to know a Trojan: volleyball player feature Page 22 Arts and Entertainment

Fred Penner serenades the Gate Page 16 SAIT Culinary students get ready to battle it out in the Chef-to-be contest Page 13 Every student loves noodles, why not check out a documentary about them? Page 19 Opinions

White poppies don’t work for Remembrance day Page 24 It’s November. Why is Christmas music already in the air? Page 26

News

What’s happening in your community

theWeal.com 5 November 2018

Students Offering Support spreads south

Organization helps students with courses, raises money for international access to education tered, non-governmental organizations focused on international access to education. Students who cannot afford a donation are welcome to attend for free. “SOS is an organization that was built by students, and it continues to be fueled by students,” said SOS program director Laura Viselli. It started in 2004 at Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario, eventually becoming an officially registered charity in 2008. “Since then we raised over $2.5 million, and that’s all from students,” said Viselli. Rachel Moerschfelder, a second-year journalism student at SAIT, started an SOS chapter after she was inspired by the business model. “We don’t just want to help students internationally. We also want to make sure we’re helping students on campus,” she said. Moerschfelder is the president of SAIT’s SOS chapter, and she believes the organization helps students more than educationally. Laura Viselli is the program director for SOS, a student organization targeting educational issues in Canada and abroad. (Photo by Patrick Concepcion/ The Press) Megan Maher Weal Writer

tudents Offering Support (SOS), an organization offering help to students locally and internationally, is looking for volunteers. SOS provides peer-to-peer review sessions for students who needing extra help in courses for a small donation. The money raised goes to local, regis-

“It’s a very safe environment to find your place, especially for students who might be shy or introverted or socially anxious.” SOS has chapters at 25 campuses across Canada, and they have completed more than 200 projects in 11 countries. Their projects, located in Central and South America, involve building new kitchens, classrooms, and bathrooms. “A lot of people think education means classrooms, but holistic education is built on so many things,” said Viselli. SOS is also planning on doing outreach

work with a company called Rumie, which sells educational tablets to organizations. The tablets are completely customizable and all of the resources are available off-line. SOS is planning to bring 15 to 20 tablets to Latin America to test how these devices may improve the community. “They need to know how to use technology. “They know they need that to lift them out of poverty,” said Viselli. Teachers will add the curriculum to match local school, government, and religious practices, she said. “It’s very important they can upload all that content themselves so we’re not telling them, ‘This is what you have to teach’.” SOS partners with an organization called Ninos de Guatemala (NDG), which translates to Kids of Guatemala. NDG runs three schools in Antigua, and operates three social businesses, the proceeds from which go towards funding their schools. Students can start a chapter of SOS at any post-secondary institution, and volunteers are welcome and encouraged to join at SAIT. “It’s really awesome to see people who are in the same mindset as you and really want to create change,” said Moerschfelder. While SOS is a volunteer-run organization running programs based on donations, Viselli said it’s more than a charity. “We’re a hand up, not a hand out.”

theWeal.com November 2018 6

News

Odyssey coffeehouse

Odyssey managers Alex Zarnowski, left, and Jocelyn Colaiezzi, right, keep the Odyssey running in tip-top shape . Shot at the Odyssey coffeehouse inside SAIT’s Campus Centre in Calgary on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018. (Photo by Patrick Concepcion/SAIT)

Rizwana Shaikh News Writer

he Odyssey Coffeehouse in SAIT’s Campus Centre celebrated their 10th year of fuelling the SAIT student’s journey on Oct.24. The day started with 10 per cent off everything all day, as well as the reveal of a new logo. Jocelyn Colaiezzi, senior manager at the Odyssey, said the new logo is “a simplified version of a compass.” Colaiezzi said the new logo could even be perceived as a ship wheel. The Odyssey is a reference to Homer’s Odyssey, and the depicted hero’s journey was interpreted in the modern day as a student’s journey. “Odyssey is part of that journey, so

we’ll be integrating that into the rest of the brand.” At 10 a.m. there were free cookies and coffee for everyone while supplies lasted. After this, students enjoyed a live DJ. Random customers received a free Odyssey gift bag containing a free t-shirt with the new logo and a specialty coffee, or tea bag, every hour throughout the day. The first 20 guests at the celebration event received a free Odyssey gift bag. Odyssey also hosted a coffee tasting event in the evening featuring coffees from Colombia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, and Kenya, after which, there was a celebration event. “People were coming and going all night,” said Colaiezzi.

She said instructors around campus have mentioned that the Odyssey used to be a student lounge before SAITSA turned it into a coffeehouse more than 10 years ago. She joined the team four years ago, and has helped add to the Odyssey brand. “It’s been an interesting journey,” Colaiezzi said. Former SAIT student Zain Khan remembered the Odyssey as a “cozy” place to hang out during breaks or lunch. “The coffee is always hot and ready when you need it,” said Khan. He said his favourite item on the menu is the tuna melt, which is the most popular item, according to Colaiezzi. W

theWeal.com 7 November 2018

e turns 10

The Odyssey’s new logo. (Courtesy of Erin Lawrence/SAITSA)

Inner Ocean Records’ Cory Giordano, left, and, Mike Mac, right play music during the 10 year celebration of the Odyssey. Photo by Patrick Concepcion/SAIT)

Monogram Coffee’s Jeremy Ho explains the different types of coffee on the table during the 10 year celebration of The Odyssey inside SAIT’s Campus Centre in Calgary on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018. (Photo by Patrick Concepcion/SAIT)

theWeal.com November 2018 8

News

HoW TO SAVE A LIFE with naloxone training Catherine Gentile Weal Writer

tudents and staff are becoming better equipped to react to opioid overdoses, thanks to a naloxone training program held on campus. Naloxone, also known under the tradename Narcan, is a drug that blocks the effects of opioids, and is used to treat people experiencing an overdose. Similar to CPR, naloxone can increase the chance of survival by being administered before emergency crews arrive. Alberta Health Services (AHS) has provided funding for a province-wide naloxone training program in response to the increasing number of opioid overdoses in Alberta. SAITSA, in cooperation with AHS and the Safeworks Harm Reduction Program, will be holding monthly naloxone training sessions on campus.

On Oct. 16, SAIT students gathered in Heritage Hall to participate in the first training session of the semester. “You never know when you’re going to be at a party where someone has consumed opioids,” said Sarah Hogendorp, coordinator of SAITSA’s Peer Support Centre on campus. “It’s good to have more people getting trained on how to handle that situation [an overdose] in case it happens to someone they care about.” While completing an undergraduate

“You never know when you’re going to be at a party where someone has consumed opioids,” -Sarah Hogendorp, SAITSA Peer Support Centre coordinator. For more information about naloxone training on SAIT campus, visit: https:// saitsa.com/naloxone-training/

degree in sociology, Hogendorp focused her educational and volunteer efforts on combating social issues. Hogendorp is currently focused on battling the opioid epidemic by making naloxone training more accessible. The sessions are free, and anyone is welcome to participate. Overdoses are pervasive and deadly, with 4,000 Canadians dying from opioid-related deaths in 2017 according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, and fentanyl overdoses causing 569 fatalities last year in Alberta. “The opioid epidemic is impacting a different group of people than most drug problems,” said Hogendorp. The training sessions discuss the groups most at-risk, and the evidence behind harm reduction as a way of reducing drug-related fatalities. During each training session, participants learn how to detect an overdose, how to administer the naloxone effectively, and how to protect themselves while during the process. Each participant is given a free naloxone kit to take home. Students that miss the training sessions on campus can visit any pharmacy and pick up a kit. Pharmacists are required to provide a naloxone kit and training, no questions asked. The training sessions emphasize the importance of emergency intervention following a naloxone injection. “You still need to call 9-1-1,” said Hogendorp. “You still need to bring in an ambulance.” The last naloxone training sessions of the year will be held on Nov. 13 and Dec. 4, with sessions continuing into January.

theWeal.com 9 November 2018

What’s happening in your community

SAIT students beware: Take care with credit cards Rizwana Shaikh News Writer

he Financial Consumer Agency (FCAC) recently launched a campaign to inform Canadians about their financial rights and responsibilities, with a focus on students. FCAC is a federal agency established in 2001 responsible for protecting consumers of financial services and products. A national survey conducted by Ipsos indicated that nearly a quarter of young Canadians are unaware that they must agree clearly before a bank can issue them a credit card. In response, FCAC has launched a campaign to improve Canadians’ lending literacy.

The FCAC website also provides a variety of resources for budgeting for student life, working to pay for education, and paying back student debt. There are various funding options available for students, and getting a credit card

Students often spend all their loan money on unnecessary trips and eating out without a sense of their monthly expenses, but if they learn to spend wisely and make informed decisions about credit cards, they can pay back their debt, said Quintanilla.

“That is the biggest problem we see, when students don’t have a good sense of how to save and keep the money, and divide it for the entire semester,” - Aura Quintanilla, financial advising team lead with the Lamb Learner Success Centre at SAIT.

Lucie Tedesco, FCAC commissioner, published a blog post, in which he advised students to read terms and conditions and ask questions before they agree to a credit card offer.

is often not advised, said Aura Quintanilla, financial advising team lead with the Lamb Learner Success Centre at SAIT.

Samantha Fixter, a student in the SAIT Railway Conductor program, said she has a credit card as well as a student loan.

“No matter how you receive an offer, you need to be informed and savvy,” Tedesco wrote.

“[Students] need to realize that they are going to be poor for the time that they are in school.”

“I got [a credit card] by using my parents’ credit score from their credit card, since we have the same bank that we used for the credit card,” said Fixter.

When considering a credit card, one should ask about interest rates, fees or charges, and cancellation policies, according to federal recommendations.

When students need access to funds, a line of credit often has a lower interest rate than a traditional credit card, but the best option for students is to learn to budget their money, she said.

If you are offered a credit card, never feel pressured to say yes on the spot, and instead shop around and compare options with different banks. If you do sign up, keep a copy of all documentation in case there’s a problem in the future.

“That is the biggest problem we see, when students don’t have a good sense of how to save and keep the money, and divide it for the entire semester,” Quintanilla said.

She said she went into the program with a budget plan and follows it by limiting what she spends on things other than tuition and course material, and relies on her parents’ support. “My parents help me with the payments,” Fixter added. W

theWeal.com November 2018 10

News

New SAITSA strategic plan aligns with student needs Five-year plan targets advocacy, spirit, and support Sean Feagan News Editor

AITSA is now operating under the direction of a new strategic plan, which will guide the organization over the next five years. The 2018-2023 Strategic Plan outlines the vision, mission, and mandate of SAITSA, and replaces the 2013-2018 Strategic Plan.

system where students could place Post-it note suggestions on blackedout windows at the Resource Centre.

Under support, the goals are increasing the accessibility and variety of SAITSA student assistance programs, meeting the needs of The Executive Council addressed underrepresented groups, providing comments from the Post-it note ex- leadership opportunities, and enercise in a series of videos, “SAITSA EC couraging the personal and profesRead Student Comments,” posted to sional development of students. the SAITSA Facebook page in March and April 2017. The strategic plan gives direction to the organization, so everyone is The themes that came out of the traveling in the same direction, said student surveys were affordability, Torres-Gillet. communication, opportunities, and efficiency of services, said Torres-Gillet. “It’s invaluable.”

It’s development was provoked by a perceived disconnect between the former strategic plan and the objecThe board and executive council tives of the executive council, said then conducted a planning session SAITSA president Alysson Torres-Gillet. where the feedback was put together and discussed. “We kept trying to get things done, and were constantly being told, ‘that Through this session, three pillars of doesn’t align with the strategic plan,’” the new strategic plan were identified: she said. advocacy, spirit, and support. Under each pillar, three goals were created. “We kept coming back and saying [those objectives] align with the Under advocacy, the goals are instudents, so obviously the [previous creasing student involvement in ad(2013-2018) strategic plan] doesn’t vocacy initiatives, establishing SAITSA align with students.” as a leading student organization in Canada, and collaborating in mutualA strategic planning committee, ly-beneficial relationships with other chaired by Torres-Gillet, was struck in groups. Nov. 2017, and met biweekly until the new plan was finalized in March. Under spirit, the goals are fostering a campus-wide culture that students The committee was informed are proud of, identifying and using efthrough student and staff consulta- fective methods of connecting with tions, including a survey completed by members, and ensuring students have 523 students, and a physical feedback access to space “needed to comfortably navigate post-secondary life.”

While the plan outlines nine primary goals, it does not include metrics by which the achievement of each goal can be measured, she explained. While all the goals set forth in the strategic plan are significant, student engagement is one of the most rewarding, said Torres-Gillet. “I love talking to students, going out, and seeing what their issues are. “I want to level with them one-onone.” SAITSA’s student engagement towards the legal assistant program specifically has been effective, said Madison Rhude, a second-year student in that program. “[SAITSA is doing] fantastic within my program. There’s always someone

theWeal.com 11 November 2018

What’s happening in your community

to talk to in that group, and there’s al- arrived in Canada from South Korea. ways a lot planned at The Gateway for The SAITSA strategic plan can our program.” “As a newcomer, I would like some be found on the SAITSA website at: mentors to show where the buildings https://saitsa.com/documents/ In relation to the support goal of and classrooms are.” strategicplan/ W improving student space on campus, Rhude said that a priority should “I would like to get more advice.” be providing more spaces with a study-friendly atmosphere. “The library basement is the only quiet place to study, and it’s packed all the time.” SAITSA could do a better job of ensuring international students feel welcomed, said Allen Oh, an information technology student who recently

[The plan’s] development was provoked by a per-

ceived disconnect between the former strategic plan and the objectives of the executive council. - SAITSA president Alysson Torres-Gillet.

Celebrating Alumni Excellence Every year SAIT recognizes graduates who are accomplishing great things in our community, on the national stage and around the world. Congratulations to the 2018 recipients of SAIT’s Distinguished Alumni and Outstanding Young Alumni Awards.

Jennifer Dalen

Ryan Scott

Connie DeSousa

Radio, Television and Broadcast News ‘12

Business Administration ‘01

Professional Cooking ‘00

2018 Outstanding Young Alumna Program Director, Real Country 95.5

2018 Distinguished Alumnus President & CEO, Avalon Master Builder

Six years after graduating, Jennifer is Program Director for NewCap Radio’s Red Deer station and oversees 20 other stations across Alberta. She also works with local non-profits including Dreams Take Flight and, by serving as Vice President of the Association of Country Music in Alberta and on the Advisory Board for SAIT’s radio program, Jennifer nurtures upcoming musicians and broadcasters.

Ryan’s entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to sustainable development make him a leader in the homebuilding industry. Past president of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association of Alberta and a founding member of the CHBA Net Zero Energy Housing Council, he partners with SAIT in researching green building innovation and technologies, and in offering a scholarship to support SAIT students.

Visit sait.ca/alumni to read more.

2018 Distinguished Alumna Co-Owner/Co-Chef, CHARCUT, charbar, Alley Burger, Rooftop Bar @ Simmons Renowned chef Connie DeSousa is focused on making Calgary a culinary hot spot. After honing her skills in kitchens around the globe and international culinary competitions, Connie returned home to co-create CHARCUT Roast House. A tireless advocate for up-and-coming chefs, she serves on SAIT’s Culinary Advisory Board, shares her expertise with students and often hires SAIT alumni.

theWeal.com November 2018 12

News

ACT Alberta develops actions to address human trafficking in Calgary Sean Feagan News Editor

trategies to address the complex issue of human trafficking in Calgary are being developed by an Alberta charity. The Action Coalition on Human Trafficking (ACT) Alberta, a registered charity, highlights and addresses human trafficking throughout the province. To assess human trafficking in Calgary, the organization held community engagement sessions featuring people involved with various facets of the issue.

In response to the sessions, ACT Alberta has held action forums, including one held on Oct. 18 at Woods Homes in Inglewood.

is that people are coerced into an exploitative situation through deceit, fraud, or something like that,” said Wilson.

Human trafficking is a global issue, but many people are unaware it is occurring in their communities, said Amy Wilson, executive director of ACT Alberta.

People often hold misconceptions about human trafficking due to its portrayal in the media, said Wilson.

“Often people are surprised that it’s happening in Alberta at all,” she said. It can be broadly separated into two forms: sex trafficking, and labour trafficking. The common thread is coercion.

“We see movies like Taken, where [human trafficking] is really sensationalized, where people are grabbed, and thrown into the trunk of a car, and things like that.” “While [those situations] do happen from time to time, in the vast majority of cases that we see, the forms of coercion are a lot more subtle.”

“The defining piece with trafficking

L - R: Executive director Amy Wilson, project coordinator Cherie Ratté, and program manager Alisa Tukkimaki of The Action Coalition on Human Trafficking Alberta (ACT) in Calgary on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018. (Photo by Sean Feagan)

What’s happening in your community

theWeal.com 13 November 2018

Trafficking is often associated with organized crime networks, but is also perpetrated by family members, personal relationships, or in the case of labour trafficking, from employers or recruiters, said Wilson. The emotions and desires of victims are often exploited by traffickers. “Traffickers capitalize on our human desires to be loved, to have our dreams realized.” While Wilson says “anyone can be trafficked”, but certain people are more vulnerable to exploitation. In labour trafficking, all cases that ACT Alberta has worked with were foreign nationals who have either a temporary or precarious immigration status, said Wilson. “They are coming here to better their situation, and traffickers capitalize on that,” she said. Other factors that might make someone vulnerable to either sex or labour trafficking include marginalization, mental health issues, and addiction.

Alisa Tukkimaki, program manager with The Action Coalition on Human Trafficking Alberta (ACT) delivers an opening talk during the ACT Action Forum in Calgary on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018. (Photo by Sean Feagan)

that encompasses diverse experiences, said Tukkimaki.

“These are the things traffickers take advantage of,” Wilson said.

The action forum is a milestone in a long road attempting to address human trafficking in Alberta, said Tukkimaki.

Fighting human trafficking is all about collaboration, said Alisa Tukkimaki, Program Director at ACT Alberta.

“We engaged in this two-year process, we shared our results, and now we are going to the action phase,” she said.

“We can’t do this in isolation. “It’s about working together, and that’s why we are all here.” Human trafficking is a broad term

The forum was an opportunity for people who work to fight human trafficking to meet and notice that others are experiencing similar issues, said Amelia Larson, team leader of clinical practice at Aspen Family & Communi-

ty Network Society. “We are then able to support one another and collaborate to create services, or advocate for services that don’t exist that we know are needed,” said Larson. A diverse group of representatives from various government and non-profit entities attended the forum, said ACT project coordinator Cherie Ratté. “We would like to see this day not just be about talking, but about moving things forward, and taking some action.” “This is an invitation to action.”

theWeal.com November 2018 14 Oct. 01, 2018

Arts &name Entertainment Section

The Two-line Headline Is Here

The art of noodle pulling This is an one-line deck

A short film focusing on the bond of family and food makes its Calgary debut Andrew Bardsley A&E Editor

icki Chau has always loved food. Next to family, it is one of her favourite things. Her short film, Pulled Strings, tells the story of both from a deeply intimate perspective. Chau graduated from the Alberta College of Art and Design, where she focused on media using photos and videos to tell stories. “It was sort of a natural progression for me to transition from film and photo to film making,” said Chau. The short film, which focuses on her uncle, tells the story of noodle making. “I had known my uncle was skilled in the art of hand pulled noodles. It is such a simple but amazing process

and I really wanted to capture that. “This film is the simple story of a relationship between a father and daughter. I also really wanted to utilize music, specifically traditional Chinese music to carry the story forward,” she added. Chau, who currently serves as programming director at EMMEDIA Gallery and Production Society, relied heavily on local involvement in the creation of the film. “It was a relatively simple shoot over a period of two days. I ended up using a lot of the crew members who were SAIT Alumni. We used the upstairs gallery of TRUCK Contemporary Art.

“I had known my uncle was skilled in the art of hand pulled noodles. “ “It is such a simple but amazing process and I really wanted to capture that. - Vicki Chau, ACAD graduate, and filmmaker

(Photo by Glen Co)

“It was a small crew but an experienced one. I think everyone had a really great time.” Chau hopes that upon seeing the film people who are both familiar and unfamiliar with the art of pulled noodles take away the value of supporting local film making and non-profit organizations. Two nonprofits, the Calgary Chinese Orchestra and Harmony GuZheng Ensemble, participated in the creation of Pulled Strings. “I hope people see this as an introduction to the beauty of Chinese culture.” Although the film has already premiered at the Edmonton International Film Festival, Chau is excited for its Calgary premiere at Festival Hall where her uncle will see it for the first time. ”It is a great way for family and friends to see it on the big screen and enjoy the music and food more personally.” W

theWeal.com 15 November 2018

Culture for the SAIT community

Cooking up the cash

Culinary students compete for a shot at a scholarship Maryam Lehmann A&E writer

ive SAIT culinary students will be granted a $1,000 scholarship from the Chef-to-Be competition/fundraiser held on Nov. 8 at SAIT’s culinary campus.

“There is a very high percentage of students that drop out of culinary, or leave the industry after graduating from a culinary program,” said Andrew Denhamer, one of the organizers of the competition. “They don’t understand the commitment it takes to be a chef.”

the kitchen so they have a better For restaurants that don’t have a idea what to expect when they grad- SAIT student with them, Allemeier uate and go into a kitchen.” encourages his students to work hard and show him that they would A total of six students will be work- be a good fit for the competition, ing with successful chefs within the said Denhamer. city to prepare 360 plates within a period of four hours. The participating teams from Hotel Arts, Murrieta’s Bar and Grill, Royale, A “blackbox” cooking competition Bridgette Bistro, Buffo, and Charbar means the ingredients are kept se- each must have a SAIT alumni and cret from competitors before cook- a current culinary arts student on ing begins. their team. The individual teams must create a dish with six secret ingredients given to them during the competition, and will serve an audience of 130 with no prior preparation.

Michael Allemeier, a master chef and SAIT culinary arts instructor, In order to do that, everyone on alongside Denhamer, started this the team has to be on the same page “blackbox” cooking competition four and work together, said Denhamer. years ago to provide more exposure to kitchen culture for students within “Just having that experience and the professional cooking program. getting to see how that happens is really huge for them [student chefs].” With this exposure, Denhamer believes more people will stay in the Culinary students that are currentindustry post-graduation. ly on their work term with participating restaurants get to participate in “We want to help motivate cooks the competition. at a young age to get involved with

The entire staff running the event that day are also students from the culinary program, and can gain insight by witnessing the food being prepared and what the competition involves, said Denhamer. Tickets are priced at $149 each and include a appetizer, live cooking, 12 plates from the teams, and more. All the money raised from the event will go towards the Chef-to-Be scholarship. More information can be found at www.cheftobe.ca. W

“We want to help motivate cooks at a young age to get involved with the kitchen”. Michael Allemeier, a master chef and SAIT culinary arts instructor,

theWeal.com November 2018 16

Arts & Entertainment

The Dudes return

Calgary’s hometown heroes rock another Gateway halloween party John Watson Staff Writer

algary-based rock band, The Dudes, hosted their annual Halloween party at the Gateway and it was set to be the biggest party of the year on campus.

The Dudes ends their set to their fans in Halloween costumes cheering. (Photo by Jp Pitogo/SAIT)

First playing at the Gateway nine years ago, The Dudes have developed a soft spot for the venue and look forward to returning annually to play. “You guys are so rad for being such a little bar,” said Danny Vacon, lead vocalist for The Dudes. “It’s like dating a girl way foxier than you deserve, and once a year when she says ‘hey, we still doing this?’ and I’m not gonna turn down a beautiful lady– and that’s kind of how I feel about the Gateway.”

To hear more from the Dudes and their love of SAIT, head to theweal.com!

Sarah Christine takes the stage along with her band, Sellout. (Photo by Jp Pitogo/SAIT)

theWeal.com 17 November 2018

Culture for the SAIT community

TOKYO POLICE CLUNKER

Tokyo Police Club’s return from hiatus a disappointment Maryam Lehmann A&E Writer

okyo Police Club released their fourth studio album, TPC, on Oct. 5, after a four-year hiatus.

Listening to TPC, it’s as if the band is still stuck in that era, and are trying to build on their 2014 selves.

After being apart for so long, the new album sounds Tokyo Police Club had their like just that. A band that decided to make an album place, in the mid-to-late after four years. Instead of 2000s. A piece of a puzzle that slid in perfectly amongst growing from their sound, it bands that provided dancey, seems like they reunited and are simply trying to build on upbeat tunes such as The Kooks, Phoenix, and Two Door where they left off in 2014. Like they’re stuck. Cinema Club. There’s a difference beTheir 2010 album, “Champ” , contains tunes that I never tween growth and simply tire of and still listen to today. building on top of what was already there. However, their latest alThe best song on TPC, bum - as a whole - sips like “Pigs”, is a rowdy song that a bland cup of tea. It’s easy consumption; You don’t take gives listeners a glimpse into what the band still have to it into much consideration, offer. It delivers a sick, angry and come to think of it, did guitar tune, and feels closest you even finish it? Maybe to what the band was feeling there’s still some left. Who when making this album. W knows? It’s just been sitting there.

Instead of growing from their sound, it seems like they reunited and are simply trying to build on where they left off in 2014.

theWeal.com November 2018 18

Arts & Entertainment

The Fred Penner Show

Adult sing-along filled with fun and nostalgia

Canadian music performer Fred Penner sings in the Gateway at SAIT. Wednesday, October 24, 2018 Photo by Rorie Stannard

Patti Martin Weal Writer

red Penner’s adult sing-along gave his grown-up fans the chance to grab a beer while indulging their inner child with nostalgic favourites. Penner, the singer/songwriter famous for the songs “The Cat Came Back” and “Sandwiches,” played an adult sing-along to a sold-out crowd of 300 “Fredheads” at the Gateway on Oct. 24.

Penner is a beloved family entertainer with 45 years of experience performing music and comedy, primarily to children, many of whom have now grown up and shared the love of his music with their own kids. He said making music and performing is “about the creative process and connecting with the audience.” The sing-along audience largely consisted of fans who were still using sippy cups when they first saw Penner in person. Those kids are now old enough to join him in a toast when he sips from his water bottle onstage

and says to the audience, “Cheers.” Amber Taylor, 34, said, “I saw Fred when I was four and my mom won front-row tickets on the radio. Now I get to see him again at a campus bar – he knows his demographic.” Taylor brought her friend Laura Edmonds, 33, who saw Penner when she was three years old. Edmonds said she still has the plastic records of his songs that could only be played on a Fisher-Price classic record player. Penner opened the show by offering to take requests and promising

Culture for the SAIT community

theWeal.com 19 November 2018

to play some favourites, as well as taking on some obscure songs, so long as he could remember the lyrics or get the enthusiastic crowd to help him. This offer was quickly taken by audience members who asked for not only Penner’s biggest hits, but also nostalgic ones such as “Log Driver’s Waltz,” the folk song written by Wade Hemsworth that was turned into an animated short by the National Film Board, which many fans would have seen on CBC while waiting for the next episode of “Fred Penner’s Place” to start. While Penner gave a nod to his audience’s age of majority by asking the crowd, “how many of you are stoned?” he still acted as a role model. When he heard someone in the audience curse, he said, “Sorry, no profanities at a Fred Penner concert. Pay attention to the words you’re communicating to people.” Accompanied by electric guitarist, sound effects wizard, and longtime accomplice Paul O’Neill, Penner also added some social messages with songs like “Parking Lot” by Joni Mitchell and “Garbage” by Pete Seeger to acknowledge the current state of chaos in the world today. “We are living in such a wacky time of life,” he said. Penner recently released an album, “Hear the Music”, including his first original tunes sung in Spanish and French. On Oct. 12, Penner won the 2018 Western Canadian Music Artistic (WCMA) Award for Children’s Artist of the Year. His music can be found on Linus, iTunes, and Amazon. W

Canadian music performer Fred Penner sings in the Gateway at SAIT. Wednesday, October 24, 2018 Photo by Rorie Stannard

“I saw Fred when I was four... Now I get to see him again at a campus bar”. - Amber Taylor, an attendee at the concert.

theWeal.com November 2018

Sports

Double threats on the ice and fairway

Three Trojans hockey players joined new golf team Alex Hamilton Sports Editor

hree SAIT Trojans played on both the hockey and golf teams this year, giving each player different appreciations for their sports. “Hockey and golf go hand-in-hand,” according to Karmen Mooney, one of three Trojans to pull double duty. “It’s the swing,” she joked, comparing the two sports. Mooney, Tashel Scantlebury, and Will Gretton, who all play defence for the Trojans hockey teams, helped the golf team win respectable middle-ofthe-pack finishes in the golf team’s first season since 2001. The golf team reached out to hockey players, knowing it was a popular offseason sport for them. For Gretton, however, golf was his first love, having been a member of his home country club since he was born. “I grew up on the driving range,” he said. He started playing hockey at six, and as he grew older, it became his main sport. However, the order switched again later, with Gretton competing in the U.S. in high-level tournaments. He “wanted to get back to hockey” this season, and described himself as “kind of an underdog”; he made the Trojans hockey team as a walk-on. “I wanted to get back to that team atmosphere again,” said Gretton. “It was a long-shot for me, but I put a lot of work in this summer. Making it was pretty exciting,” he added. For Mooney and Scantlebury, golf

was a good fit for multiple reasons. Scantlebury admitted she “didn’t put much thought” into trying out for the golf team. After playing at the more intense college level, Scantelbury and Mooney gained a new appreciation for what was previously just a casual sport. Golf works with the hockey offseason mainly because of its low risk of injury, said Mooney, adding the crossover was beneficial.

just played some “casual” golf at the high school level. It was her first time “expending the same energy” at her offseason sport that she did at hockey. “It sparked a love of golf I didn’t really know I had,” said Mooney. “I always enjoyed golf on the side, always thought I would take it up when I got older, but I guess I’m taking it up now.” Mooney, who still has one more

“[golf] trains your brain in a different sense than hockey. It’s very much battling against yourself.” - Tashel Scantlebury, Trojans hockey, and golf player. “It trains your brain in a different sense than hockey. It’s very much battling against yourself.” The different physical demands of golf complicated things for Gretton. He said his more intense workout regimen this summer was more helpful for hockey than golf, and that it was “hard to juggle.” Scantlebury has been playing golf since the age of seven, but this year was the first time she had golfed with a coach (Stephen Yanitsky). Scantlebury said that the coaching taught her how to better read courses, and how to better carry through with her swing, especially when putting. She finished as the top performer on the women’s team in their two tournaments. Meanwhile, Mooney had previously

year at SAIT, said that she plans to juggle both teams again next season. Gretton, who has played at an NCAA Division I golf level, said the program was “as good as any other school in its first year.” “The fact that [Yanitsky] had a lot of people trying out, that he had to make cuts, that it wasn’t easy to make the team, shows that golf is on this campus,” he added. “We had a lot of fun together,” Scantlebury said. “We know each other pretty well from the four years of hockey, but it was different, walking the course. That takes five hours, that’s a lot of chatting,” said Mooney. “It was a really cool experience; I’m glad the Trojans coaches approached us about it.” W

Sports news and views for the SAIT community

theWeal.com 21 November 2018

Logging off from the esports debate Learning to live with videogames being considered “sports” Alex Hamilton Sports Editor

ver the past few years, I have become annoyed at esports headlines creeping their way into my sports coverage. How dare those nerds interrupt me from reading the 40th straight TSN article arguing about just how good Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews are? However, after some consideration, I have reached a compromise for anyone else who was still fighting that losing battle against esports. Perhaps it is better to think of esports more as a billion-dollar industry and competition that happens to get sports coverage because of its name. I grew up with gaming, and watching sports, yet the rise of esports has never felt like two great tastes going great together. Esports advocates argue that the preparation, practice, coaching, and level of competition involved make its competitors no different than any athlete. While I still disagree with this, maybe it’s beside the point. Arguing about the physical demands required for a competition to be considered athletic, I realize, is largely semantics.

I’m probably just reacting in the typical online-bred, over-the-top manner to coverage I find uninteresting; gaming culture is often an easy target for disdain and jokes. However, there’s not much getting around the fact that esports is a near-billion-dollar industry. It is difficult to see its growth slowing down, absent a sudden complete collapse of the gaming industry. Is this fair to either traditionalists or gamers to cover esports alongside other sports? Justin Simpao, a University of British Columbia (UBC) student who serves as the VP external relations at UBC’s esports club, sees the debate as somewhat apples-and-oranges. He says that esports should be seen more as a “parallel” to traditional sports. Simpao, an avid Vancouver Canucks fan, considers professional esports players athletes, but also compares them to professional poker players. While he was pleased with the coverage esports has gotten via traditional sports media, he also sees this coverage as potentially “inhibiting the growth” of esports.

He notes that mainstream coverage is under the single umbrella of “esports,” regardless of the game being played. Simpao compared it to if hockey, football, and basketball players were all just referred to as “sports players.” Simpao’s stance – that esports is a competition alongside, but not really competing with, traditional sports - offers middle ground for the anti-esports faction. If traditionalists can’t stop esports’ growth, we can at least live with it. Perhaps esports should just be seen like other esoteric “sports”, such as poker and darts, or (for many Canadians) NASCAR. These aren’t really sports with a casual audience, but with far more time, strategy, and skill going into them than it appears. “I have this conversation with my family all the time. Not whether it’s a sport, but whether it should exist,” said Simpao with a laugh. As a millennial, my mind also addled by gaming, I might be halfway there to accepting esports. Unless I have to, one day, deal with a Flames game getting pre-empted by esports. But gamers couldn’t possibly take over the sports world completely, could they? W

theWeal.com November 2018

Sports

Men’s volleyball team off to good start defending ACAC title Coach encouraged by wins over tough competition Alex Hamilton Sports Editor

year after winning the provincial championship, the SAIT Trojans men’s volleyball team got off to a 3-0 start, before dropping their next four games. Head coach Sean McKay was encouraged by the team coming out strong for a “front-loaded” schedule, against three of the top Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) teams, including a big comefrom-behind victory over Briercrest College. “Briercrest [Oct. 13] was a really good challenge,” said McKay, saying that he expected to “battle it out for a top spot” with Briercrest as the season progresses. However, it is still early in the season, and the team “still has a lot to figure out” and needs to stay “process-oriented.” McKay said that the team’s passing could use work, but “offensively we’ve still been hitting pretty well.” “We need to keep that smart, intellectual side of our game.” “We’re on the right track, but need to stay on track for six more months,” he added. One of the major challenges defending the title is the fact that the team has 10 new players this year, many of whom have never played ACAC before, said McKay.

Nathan Goss and Brennen Willis try to block the ball during the season opening game for Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference on Campus Centre gym at SAIT in Calgary on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2018. Trojans Men’s Volleyball Team defeated Ambrose University Lions Men’s Volleyball Team 3-1 making their first win of the season. Photo by Patrick Concepcion

theWeal.com Oct. 01, 2018

Sports

“Trying to get them to buy into a system is a big, big job. “Even my guys coming back, I’ve introduced a couple new system things that some of them aren’t used to, really pushing them hard with long-term goals.” Comparing last year’s team at this point last year, McKay said they were ahead in some areas and behind in others. “We are probably not executing at quite the same level [as last year], but when it comes to talent, when it comes to ability, when it comes to willingness to learn, I think we’re ahead of where we were, and that’s really more indicative of a good finish at the end of the season.” The team lost four straight - two homeand-aways against Lethbridge College and Red Deer College - after the 3-0 start. Their next home game is Nov. 16 against Olds College. W

Tyler Latu’Ila serves the ball during the season opening game for Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference on Campus Centre gym at SAIT in Calgary on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2018. Trojans Men’s Volleyball Team defeated Ambrose University Lions Men’s Volleyball Team 3-1 making their first win of the season. Photo by Patrick Concepcion

theWeal.com 23 November 2018

theWeal.com November 2018

Sports

A towering presence

New Trojan Brennen Willis helps anchor men’s volleyball team Brett Klassen Sports Writer From Mount Royal to SAIT, Brennen Willis, a volleyball giant, has finally found his home. Willis’ first season as a Trojan has been nothing but spectacular. As of Oct. 26, he led the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) in sets, block assists, and total blocks. At a staggering 6’11”, Willis has always been the “tall kid,” taller than most people for the majority of his life. A lifelong multisport athlete, Willis started playing hockey, baseball, and football at a young age. He played volleyball and basketball with the Cochrane High School Cobras. However, his main passion at that time was basketball. “It was what I liked more at the time and I was better at it, and then as I kept getting older I liked volleyball more.” Willis played on the Canada West men’s team and the U18 Canucks Dinos Team. He said that the latter team was a “big step up” to what he was used to playing in high school. “I never really played competitively, so I was playing with a lot more skilled athletes,” he said. Willis is grateful for the coaches guidance, and molding him into a star. “They definitely built me into the volleyball player I am today; I was pretty raw

Mens volleyball Trojan Brennen Willis prepares for his practice at SAIT. (Jesse Boily) when I started playing there,” he said. Willis first received a volleyball scholarship from Mount Royal University (MRU). His first year with the Cougars was like every other rookie’s season: limited time playing, and fiendishly observing while dying to play. He only played three matches in his first year at Mount Royal, with modest stats. In his second year there, he built momentum, rapidly raising his total sets and quadrupling his overall kills for the season. At MRU, he was getting his bachelor degree of Health and Phys Ed, but decided to take an alternative route. “I pretty much just went there for volleyball. Nothing really interested me school wise, so I decided to pursue something more interesting,” he said.

Willis enjoys being hands on with objects when he works. So he enrolled in the welding engineering technology program at SAIT. He said he loves the volleyball program, especially the people he plays with: one is an old teammate from his days as a Cochrane Cobra. The team camaraderie satisfies Willis, but his priorities are outside of the ACAC world. “The guys are great, but school is what I came for.” Willis is a new anchor of the men’s volleyball team as they defend last year’s ACAC title. As of Oct. 26, they sat third in the ACAC South with a 3-2 record. Their next home game is Nov. 16 against Olds College. W

theWeal.com 25 November 2018

Sports news and views for the SAIT community

Trojans forward breaks out Owen LaClare off to league-leading start

SAIT Trojans forward Owen LaClare pictured at the SAIT Arena on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018. (Photo by Alex Hamilton) Deborah Chadwick Weal Writer

Trojans men’s hockey forward Owen LaClare has taken an enormous step forward this year, helping lead the team to a 5-1 start. As of Oct. 27, he was leading the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) with 13 points - three goals and 10 assists. Among his bigger games include a six-assist performance Oct. 6 against Portage College. In just six games, he has over half as many points as he did all of last season, in which he scored 19 points in 22 games. LaClare said he had a good summer in the gym, and he can feel a difference in his body. “The extra year has definitely helped me adjust to the speed of the game,” he said. “As the year goes on, you do get bigger and stronger on the ice as you get used to the game.”

After scoring the first goal in the Trojans’ biggest win of the season on Oct. 19 a 2-1 overtime win over MacEwan University – he said games against teams at the top of the league “are fun and easy to get up for.”

LaClare has three older siblings. One brother is a boxer, and the others are involved in various sports.

“If you don’t show up for those nights, they can really hurt you,” he said.

He played four years in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, the last two with the Estevan Bruins in 2015-2016.

LaClare combines skill with finesse, with only six minutes in the penalty box so far this season. “I don’t like playing too dirty,” he said, “I don’t want to hurt guys too much.” But LaClare does not want to hurt his team’s chances to win either. He notes that Trojans head coach Brent Devost stresses discipline, since sitting in the penalty box for too long really affects the Trojans’ chances to win the game. Sports have always played a big part in LaClare’s life, with supportive parents driving him to hockey games from their rural Saskatchewan home.

Hockey was always LaClare’s first priority since he was very young.

“I was very lucky to play in minor hockey and in juniors for some years.” LaClare came to study at SAIT because he had a friend living in Calgary, and spoke to a former coach about the hockey program. He is in his second year of studying power and process operations. When he completes his studies here at SAIT, he plans to return to Saskatchewan to look for a job, but hockey is a focus this year. “It is an added bonus,” he said. The Trojans’ next home game is Nov. 10 against archrival NAIT Ooks.

theWeal.com November 2018 26

Opinions

Red for Remembrance White poppies are inappropriate for the Remembrance Day period Emilie Charette Opinions Editor As the season of spooks and goblins passes, many people’s thoughts are already turning to the next “big” holiday on the calendar, Christmas.

“We would like to recognize and remember all victims of war.” However, despite their admirable work for peace and some growth in the movement, many people do not agree with attempts to co-opt Nov. 11.

Cory, the day was only renamed Remembrance Day in 1931. It was a celebration of the end of the war, not a celebration of war itself.

I have spoken with a 92-year-old veteran of the Second World War. He was filled with pride in his participation in the “The core issue here is that the white liberation of Holland, but when he spoke What is sometimes overof the friends he looked at this time of year “The core issue here is that the white poppy campaign as lost, there was is a day that has been of nothing of glory singular importance in my life currently posited misinterprets the meaning of Remem- in his voice or brance Day.” and the lives of many others: words. Remembrance Day. This year - Rory Cory, senior curator at the Military Museums and marks a date of particular “The War Amps self-described “pacifist military historian.” importance, the 100th anniverput out an poppy campaign as currently posited sary of the end of the First World War. excellent video series on military history misinterprets the meaning of Remementitled “Never Again” which I think sums brance Day,” said Rory Cory, senior However, a movement that has been up a veteran’s perspective very nicely,” curator at the Military Museums and trying to gain a foothold for years is said Cory. self-described “pacifist military historian.” that of the “white peace poppy,” which is used to symbolize a hope for peace “Anyone who’s seen the horrors of war “In terms of the white poppy campaign, would not wish it on anyone else.” and pacifism. People who wear it also use it symbolize remembrance of civilian I think the initiative currently misses the mark and is inappropriate for the casualties of war. My father spent 22 years in the Prinremembrance period,” he added. cess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Although its origins can be traced back (PPCLI), retiring from the military when I “It has never been about glorifying war. was 17. to 1933 as part of an anti-war campaign, the white poppy has not achieved the “It’s been a chance for families to relevel of recognition that the traditional When I was a child and wondered why member fathers, grandfathers, brothers, red has. he could not be around all the time like mothers, grandmothers, and sisters who other children’s fathers could, he had an are no longer with us, and to keep their “We feel that the red poppy does not answer for me: he was helping people memories close.” go far enough,” said Sandy Greenberg, a who could not help themselves. When I board member of the organization Cagot older, and understood more fully the What the white poppy campaign fails nadian Voice of Women for Peace (VOW). risk he was taking each time he went to recognize is that Nov. 11 was originally The group makes and distributes white overseas, I certainly hoped for an end called Armistice Day, named for the armi- to conflict. What child of a soldier would poppies during the Remembrance Day stice of the First World War. According to not? period, as well as during peace vigils.

theWeal.com 27 November 2018

The last word on today’s hot topics

emphasized the purpose of Nov. 11. Still, because of that, the importance of Nov. 11 was magnified. Each year, at the Remembrance Day ceremony in my hometown, my family lays a wreath for members of the PPCLI, past and present. “Remembrance Day is an important time to remember the cost of war,” said Greenberg. “VOW would like to broaden that remembrance and include a pledge to work for peace.” While he expressed his personal wish for peace and said that the white poppy campaign as a peace initiative is “laudable” at any other time of the year, Cory

“Remembrance Day should just be for red poppies, to ensure that we pay proper tribute to those to whom we owe so much - who sacrificed so much in an effort to ensure peace for future generations - lest we forget,” he said. It is just that – a day of remembrance, both solemn and thankful, for the sacrifices of soldiers past and present. Although the work of VOW and other peace organizations is important, designating any of the other 364 days of the year as a day for peace would be more appropriate and respectful.

This Nov. 11, wear a red poppy. Support a local Legion, or attend a ceremony, or thank a veteran. Let Canadian veterans, past and present, know that “at the going down of the sun, and in the morning,” you will remember them. W

theWeal.com November 2018 28

Opinions

Warning: Christmas music may be bad for your health Christmas carols that play too early or too loud can be more than just annoying By Amanda McColl Weal Writer The bells are ringing, and Bing Crosby and Dean Martin are crooning about White Christmases and Silver Bells. We’ve barely passed Halloween. Stores are pumping out all the old favourites, sometimes even before they’ve taken down the Halloween costumes and decorations. While the combination of skeletons and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer can be entertaining at first, the

“It just stresses everyone out,” she adds. Sure, in the first week I’ll hum along happily to Blue Christmas, but even Elvis can only keep that kind of cheer up for so long. There are studies that back this up too. Psychologist Linda Blair studied the effects of Christmas music in 2017. Her study showed that playing these catchy numbers too loud or too early increases anxiety and depression, and the effect is worse for retail workers.

These businesses want to remind you that Christmas is coming fast, and you need to shop right now - and it works... sometimes. There’s always a chance that the potential consumer will walk out, frustrated by this far-too-soon cheer, so when is too soon? Many people seem to think that once we’ve gotten past Halloween and Remembrance Day, it’s open season for snowmen and reindeer, but saving your Santa Baby until we hit Dec. 1 would save us all a lot of headaches and stress in the long run. Heck, it might even prompt a little more of that impulse shopping the

“It just stresses everyone out.” - Alyssa Hopper, a sales associate at Michaels. effects of such an early start can be more than a little frustrating, especially for retail workers.

Those workers have to either ignore it or bear through it, because there is no escape from this mandatory cheerful holiday bliss.

Every year I find myself thinking, can Unfortunately, shoving your fingers we get through the Monster Mash in your ears and screaming to block before we start trying to remember it all out for two months isn’t likely to the lyrics to Silent Night? keep you employed. “I love Christmas music, but there are only so many songs they’ll play in the store,” said Alyssa Hopper, a sales associate at Michaels.

Of course, the goal of all this merriment is to make more money.

stores are looking for if we weren’t already Christmas’d out by the time Santa’s taking down lists in the local mall. If the stores could just hold off until December, I would gladly rock around the Christmas tree. Before then though, I’ll just have to try shopping with ear plugs in.

Lifestyle

Your life outside of the classroom

theWeal.com 29 November 2018

Apple season calls for apple crisp A classic recipe for the perfect use of ripe apples

Anoshia Ahmed ‘s Apple Crisp in Calgary on Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018. Apple Crisp recipe taken from Chatelaine. Photo by Anoshia Ahmed/SAIT

Classic apple crisp From Chatelaine’s website Anoshia Ahmed Weal Writer

Baking a delicious apple and cinnamon classic is the best way to celebrate a crisp fall day. Stock up on the ingredients, as you’ll want to make this quick and easy apple crisp again and again. This recipe from Chatelaine makes the kitchen smell divine.

Prep - 20 min. Total time - 50 min. plus 2 hour cooling time Serves - 8 Ingredients: 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup large-flake oats 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter Filling: 6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cut into slices 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt Topping: Ice cream (optional) Instructions: 1. PREHEAT oven to 375F. 2. TOPPING: Stir flour, oats, brown sugar, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp cinnamon in a bowl. Grate in butter and work in, using fingertips, until crumbly with some sandy texture remaining. Refrigerate. 3. FILLING: Toss apples, granulated sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp salt in a large bowl. Transfer to an 8” baking dish or pan. 4. SPRINKLE topping evenly over apples. Bake until top is golden and juices are bubbling around edges, about 30 min. Let cool for two hours. Serve with ice cream.

theWeal.com November 2018 30

Lifestyle

#SAITgives more than $100,000

SAIT Giving Day raises thousands for student success in just 24 hours By Tiffany Oud Lifestyle Editor From Oct. 30-31, the second annual SAIT Giving Day raised more than four times its original goal of $25,000. The funds are distributed between a variety of services and projects that benefit SAIT students. “We really wouldn’t be here where we are today if it wasn’t for donor support,” said Anna Kravchik, annual giving development officer at SAIT. The fundraiser began in 2017, with the purpose of encouraging financial generosity through a game-like event over a 24-hour period.

has a strong connection to SAIT, as many are alumni and generous supporters of the school. “As a family unit they’ve been supporting SAIT for generations – passing that legacy on and on and on,” explains Kravchik. The event has a greater presence on campus this year, bringing significant awareness to the fundraiser. During the Giving Day launch, volunteers and staff from numerous departments worked together to interact with students, hand out doughnuts, and encourage campus engagement. “It is taking an effort of many, many people on campus. “I’m really excited about it.”

The money goes back to students through mental health support, club activities, technology and campus upgrades, and the areas of greatest need, which are reassessed each year.

Rachel Patey, a second-year radio student, was on location with SAIT Campus Radio to spread the word about Giving Day.

“It really is meant to benefit that holistic experience of student success in and out of classrooms,” explained Kravchik.

She says that supporting SAIT means giving back to students, which “just makes you a good person.”

“Everybody can choose [to donate to] an area that is meaningful to them.”

“It’s something that helps with other people and is very important.” Funding mental health support is important for students, said Patey.

This year, the campaign leading up to the event’s launch was about bringing awareness to donor support. Stories of donor impact were shared on colourful tags around campus, and a selfie challenge using #SAITGives. Each hashtag unlocked a dollar, up to a total of $1,000. “Our hope is to spread the word about philanthropic awareness on campus,” states Kravchik. The 2018 matching donor is Ruth Richardson, who pledged to match up to $25,000 donated during the fundraiser. Richardson is a Calgarian whose family

“I know stuff can really stress me out, so SAIT counsellors are definitely a big help.”

Gloria Jubin, a second-year business administration student, values the culture that SAIT offers students. “The amount [SAIT] give[s] back to society is great, and then they produce good future leaders,” states Jubin. The education and community at SAIT is valuable and worth supporting, she explained. “Giving back to society should be encouraged.” Chris Magnusson, an alumnus and volunteer with SAIT Trojans and Alumni and Development, spent Giving Day with other volunteers and staff, working to make the event a success. “It benefits the students, it gets the word out, [and] promotes a sense of charity,” says Magnusson. He values SAIT’s unique ability to connect students and teachers due to its small class sizes. According to Magnusson, Giving Day is just one way that alumni can stay connected on campus. He stated that the fundraiser’s purpose is to “benefit the school and, if they’re alumni of SAIT, then it just continues the relationship.” More information about SAIT Giving Day can be found at SAIT.ca/givingday.

“We really wouldn’t be here where we are today if it wasn’t for donor support.” - Anna Kravchik, annual giving development officer at SAIT.

theWeal.com 31 November 2018

Your life outside of the classroom

Solve that mid-semester slump By Carmen Cundy Lifestyle Writer It’s that time of the semester when student apathy is at an all-time high, but goal-setting, a change of scenery, and a little positive reinforcement could be just what it takes to spark some inspiration. According to Gerry Rollick, learning coach at SAIT, students who are goal-focused are able to maintain motivation better compared to students who don’t set goals. Having long-term goals, such as graduating with a diploma or a degree, or gaining the essential skills for a new career, can help students remember why they’re doing “all the drudgery,” said Rollick. Charity Lehn, third-year psychology

student at MRU, is hoping to pursue a master’s degree after she is done her bachelor of arts. This means her grades have to be “competitively high.” “That’s what motivates me to do as well as possible, even when I might not want to do everything I have to,” said Lehn. In addition to goal-setting, Rollick said it might also help to break down large tasks into smaller ones, because then “the stress doesn’t seem so insurmountable.” Oftentimes we think about all of the things that we need to accomplish, and our brain assumes that it all has to happen right now. This has the effect of increasing our heart rate. “When we get stressed we tend to shut down and we tend not to do anything,” said Rollick. In order to break down large tasks, it might be necessary to set a schedule

for the weeks ahead, because when we feel more in control of our week, we stay more motivated. Seeing little tasks getting accomplished inspires us to keep working away, said Rollick. Students should also change their normal routine in order to make studying more interesting. Rollick suggests finding a new place to study, creating a study space that feels fresh and inviting, or inviting some classmates to a group study session. “If you’re studying with like minds, there’s a bit of a social aspect, which makes things more interesting.” The promise of a drink or a bite to eat after a job well done could also be a good motivator, according to Rollick. These small rewards are important, because if students are doing nothing but work it can become “very tiresome.” It is also important for students to take frequent breaks, and to build time in their study schedule for themselves, whether that means taking a few minutes to meditate, do yoga, or to get some fresh air. “Whether you watch an episode of your favourite show or take a bath, giving yourself breaks is the best way to make it seem like less work,” said Lehn. According to Lehn, if students are taking care of their mental health they will feel more motivated as a result.

Legal assistant students Mia Tsui and Mikaela Boquecosa studying together at Reg Erhardt Library at SAIT in Calgary on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018. (Photo by Patrick Concepcion/SAIT)

“I always tell people to take time for themselves or to take breaks when working for long periods of time. “I am a firm believer that mental health is the most important thing for all post-secondary students.”

theWeal.com November 2018 32

Lifestyle

Meet Stephanie Mercredi:

instructor at North America’s only live travel agency classroom Tiffany Oud Lifestyle Editor Travel and tourism instructor Stephanie Mercredi is in her seventh year of teaching at SAIT’s travel agency. “It’s the only live travel agency classroom in North America,” said Mercredi. She explains that everything students learn in the two-year program is used in the agency: ticketing class, geography, event planning, sales class, product class and the airline booking system. “That’s all I do – all day every day.” Her passion for the travel industry was inspired by her grandparents. “They always sent me postcards from everywhere. “That made me want to travel more.” In high school, Mercredi travelled to Europe, where she “found out that, that’s what I wanted to do.”

Prior to teaching at SAIT, Mercredi was part of the team at Custom Travel Solutions, which had a hand in starting up SAIT’s travel agency. Her boss at Custom Travel Solutions suggested she apply for a position as an instructor – an unexpected career path. “It wasn’t something I had ever considered – but I can’t believe it wasn’t something I considered.” The best part of her work is watching the students understand the concepts she is teaching, and seeing them succeed after they graduate from the program. “Every time they get a job I feel so proud. “I love them – I love them all.” Some students quit a job that they were hired for only two months earlier, which Mercredi explains is a mistake for anyone in any career. “They need to give everything a chance, and not give up quickly.

“Learn the job and see if it is something that you like,” said After graduating from Grant Mac- Mercredi. Ewan’s travel counsellor program, she lived her dream as a corpoStudents can pursue a career rate travel agent for about a year. internationally as a travel agent,

flight attendant, tour guide, or even an events coordinator. “You name it, any kind of travel related, hospitality industry related stuff.” Mercredi wants to be a supportive teacher, and to help students push through the nervousness of working with their first clients. “I hope I’m some sort of inspiration to be a travel agent.” Beyond life as an instructor, Mercredi loves hedgehogs, and the movie Straight out of Compton. Laid back and supportive are words that Mercredi uses to describe herself; however, many students find her intimidating at first. “Before they have me as a teacher they’re a little bit scared – and I like that – cause I’m not scary at all.” Second-year student Janie-Marie McDougall said that Mercredi is a teacher she would visit after graduation. “She could always be that person you could go back to if you ever needed help with something.” Mercredi’s class is hands-on,

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Lifestyle

theWeal.com Oct. 01, 2018

SAIT connecting different The Two-line Headline Is cultures Here through the Global Cafe This is an one-line deck

Singaporean exchange students attending the global cafe gathering on Thursday, September 27, 2018 Photo by Rorie Stannard Author’s Name The Author’s Title

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Lifestyle

SAIT connects different cultures through Global Cafe Nokwethemba Moyo Weal Writer If you hear SAIT students talking about scorpions and snakes in their houses, don’t worry, it is just international students from Australia sharing stories from back home. The Global Café, hosted by SAIT back in September created a space for international students, this year from Singapore and Australia, to share stories from home in a casual setting. Joining an international program can help students when it comes time to look for work, and this café is an excellent way to talk about opportunities. “Nowadays, if you graduate from SAIT and look for a job, it’s really important to have intercultural connections, even in Calgary,” said Yuko Simms, a community relations adviser at SAIT’s International Centre.

Simms encourages students to join in the International Education week from Nov. 13 - 16 at SAIT. Event details will be available on SAIT’s website by Nov. 13.

Adam Ward, who was a part of the Australian International group said, “you see kangaroos hopping everywhere, and platypus - they’re rugged for the temperature.”

“I’ve had a scorpion and lizard in my house but never a snake,” said Michael Boer, an international student from Australia, during a presentation.

He is sympathetic to Alberta’s dramatically changing weather patterns, as he said that in his hometown of Melbourne, Victoria the weather is just as inconsistent as Calgary.

Snakes may seem a bit exotic here in Canada, but to the Australian international student, it is more of a casual conversation starter.

They were amazed by how bright blue and vibrant the water in Banff, and could not get enough of Alberta’s amazing landmarks.

“My mom has had to go out in the yard to get one of the dogs away from a snake.”

“Banff – the blue water – how?” asked Ward.

Dinah Adlina, an international student from Singapore, said that “in Singapore, we have a lot of religions like Islam, Buddhism, Catholics, Christian.”

“The Great Barrier Reef, because of the pollution, is slowly losing its colour, but if you want to come to Australia, you should probably go there.” Ward and Boer also recommended visiting Uluru, a massive rock in the middle of Australia. “If you come to Australia, it’s definitely in the bucket list,” said Boer. “They’re trying to shut off the tourism aspect of it. “October next year they’re shutting it off.” Canadian culture and Australian culture are sometimes thought to have a lot of similarities. According to the international students, there are a lot more differences than one might think. “Australian culture is a bit more sarcastic, a bit [more] easy going and relaxed,” said Boer. W

Exchange students from Singapore gathered at SAIT’s global cafe on Thursday, September 27, 2018 (Photo by Rorie Stannard)

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