January/February 2014 - Reading Area Community College

Transcription

January/February 2014
News and views from RACC
Reading aRea Communit y College
Vol. 17 | Issue 4| Free
Fr o nt St r eet J o u r nal
FSJ
Student intern earnS credit for ‘late night’ claSS/Page 3
2
FRoNt StReet JouRNAl
The Front Street Journal
The Student Newspaper of
Reading Area Community College
10 South Second Street
Reading, PA 19603
610-372-4721, Ext. 5262
[email protected]
Facebook.com/FrontStreetJournal
2013-2014
Editorial Board:
Editor-in-chief
Dawn Heinbach
Associate Editor
vacant
Business Manager
Robert Minnich III
Secretary
vacant
Staff Writers
Dawn Heinbach
Robert Minnich III
Elizabeth Sweigart
Correspondents
Joshua Colon
Rachel Lee
Catherine Mahony
Faculty Advisor/Layout & Design
Al Walentis
The opinions expressed in this newspaper are the opinions of the writers and
do not reflect the views of the college
administration, faculty, or staff.
MISSIoN STATEMENT
The mission of the Front Street Journal
is to provide a forum of the free exchange of ideas and information among
all members of the college community.
LETTERS To THE EDIToR
Letters are encouraged. They must be
signed; anonymous letters will not be
printed. Letters can be submitted
through Raven's email to the address
above. FSJ reserves the right to reject
any letter for publication.
Submission deadline
February 3, 2014
from the editor’s desk
Initiative.
What is it, and do you have
it?
Spring semester, arriving at
the beginning of a brand new
year, brings a feeling of giddy
excitement. People examine
their lives, reevaluate their
goals and make new ones, and
vow to make various improvements. For a moment, at least,
you have a burst of motivation. But initiative is the thing
that makes you actually get up
and strive for your goals.
This issue features RACC's Fitness Center, free and convenient for those wanting to
reach their weight loss or “just get healthier”
goals. Still not persuaded? Read about a
student who has lost 60 pounds since she
started taking classes at RACC.
Is this going to be the year you get the
initiative to experience Reading Area Community College's vast array of activities and
resources?
Are you someone who loves learning?
Take an honors class. There is no special requirement. Contrary to popular belief, honors courses are not more difficult and do not
require more work than regular courses.
The small class size allows for deeper exploration of deeper topics.
Do you like to volunteer? Get involved
with RACCy olympics, the campus-wide,
year-long event that raises
money for local charities. The
beneficiary this year is olivet
Boys & Girls Club.
Do you have ideas on how
RACC could improve? Why
not become a Senator for the
Student Government Association and take part in the decision-making of the college
through the Campus Life
Committee? You can also attend their meetings without
joining and bring your suggestions.
The people around you who are getting
involved, generating and implementing new
ideas, and taking advantage of opportunities
are the ones with initiative.
Those who just sit back and skate through
life are the people without it.
Initiative is what turns people into the
movers and the shakers, the ones who get
things done, the ones who make a difference
to their family, their school, the community,
themselves, and even the country and the
world.
Initiative can mean the difference between absolutely loving your life and simply
being satisfied. The best thing about initiative is that it is already there, waiting to be
tapped. To find it, look within.
—Dawn Heinbach
Editor-in-Chief
IN THIS ISSUE:
Phi Theta Kappa........................8
Blackbird Report .......................9
Word on Front Street ........10-11
RACC Fitness Center..............14
Don’t Miss This! ......................24
Creative Corner .................25-26
Poetic Prose..............................27
Fab Fiction................................28
RACC Raven............................29
Club Hub..................................29
Teacher Spotlight ....................30
Right:Dr.Pamela Blakely
Correction: In the “I Am a RACC Raven” article (Nov/Dec 2013, page 7) ESL instructor Lois
Moyer's name was misspelled.
The internship would not be complete without sitting at Letterman's desk on the set of the
“Late Show.” CoVER: Joel Kutz in front of the CBS Studios marquee on West 57th Street,
New York City.
‘late’ for class
RACC student lands CBS internship
By Joel Kutz
Student
very day at around ten minutes past four o’clock, a familiar voice comes on the speakers
of every television set in the upper-floor offices of the Ed Sullivan Theater. It is the voice of
Eddie Brill, warm-up comedian for the “Late Show
with David Letterman.” This is followed by the
sound of the CBS orchestra, then that of Dave himself as he comes out to meet the crowd. Then, at the
same time every day, always within a minute or two
of 4:35 p.m., announcer Alan Kalter’s voice opens the
show.
It’s a familiar routine, but one ever so satisfying, as
E
it signals the culmination of a hard day’s work at
“Late Show with David Letterman.” It is amazing to
me that a show I stayed up late to watch as a kid is
now something that I help produce every day I step
into the office. Yet that is the experience I have had
as a fall intern at the “Late Show.” For the past four
months I have had the privilege to work at the core
of a national television broadcast, one that brings joy
to audiences around the country each night.
My own personal journey to this point has
brought me through various parts of live television.
From the always-unpredictable student-run station
at the University of Southern California to the
Continued on page 4
3
4
late
varied and unpredictable. one day we may
be learning to answer phones for the various
members of the staff, while the next we are
running through the streets of New York
City to retrieve the perfect video clip to complete a segment. A guest booked at the last
minute means a rush to sort through magazines and news transcripts in the research
department, while running a last-minute
tape backstage is a near-daily experience.
Because a great deal is expected of us, a
great deal is offered in return. Each of these
tasks prepares us for the fast-paced work environment of a nightly talk show and gives
us exposure to a new aspect of how such a
show is run. In addition to the practical experience, we learn from every department
on the show through both informal interaction and formal sessions that the show
arranges for its interns.
I am often asked questions such as “What
celebrities have you met?” or “How often do
you see Dave?” but the truth is that these
things quickly come not to matter. The staff
of a television show is not interested in rubbing elbows with the stars, but rather in
working tirelessly to create an hour of entertainment for the millions who rely on it to
end their day.
Continued from page 3
startup feel of web series “Larry King Now,”
I had seen many sides of a talk show's production. I was witness to the power of a
good conversation or an easy laugh, but I
was still missing the experience of working
at a long-running, established program.
When I was offered this position at “Late
Show with David Letterman,” the choice to
pick up and move to New York City was an
easy one.
When I began at “Late Show” in mid-August, I quickly discovered that in many important ways, the show’s interns are treated
and regarded as full-time staffers. We spend
five full days a week in the office and are assigned to specific departments for the entirety of the semester. My department is
Research, which is responsible for getting
producers completely up to date on every
guest who appears on the show. Whether it
be to gather essential information or to discover potentially wacky stories, research is
essential to giving “Late Show” the entertainment value and credibility that it has had
for its long run.
A typical day of any intern on the show is
Every individual on the staff has come
from a different background, but it is safe to
say that they all have the same understanding of what makes this show so special.
Staffers admit that not every aspect of “Late
Show” runs in the most traditional way, but
there is a feeling that this is because “Late
Show” is like no other. The show has a
unique atmosphere and tone, one which may
explain why most of its staff has been there
for a very long period of time.
So as I depart long before it feels my time,
it is safe to say that it is the people at “Late
Show” that I will miss the most—Dave’s
loyal staff that goes relatively unnoticed,
making sure that all comes together when
showtime strikes. Because when the clock
hits 4:35, anything could happen. And I am
glad to be learning from a staff that has been
making sure that something will lead to
laughs for the last 20 years.
Joel Kutz is a senior studying film and television production at the University of
Southern California. Upon graduation in
May, he hopes to work on the production
staff of a live television show. His internship
was part of an independent study course coordinated through Reading Area Community College.
“As a transfer student dual majoring in early childhood education and special education, the
credentials of SRU’s faculty and advisors have allowed me to build a concrete foundation
towards my educational experience.
The transfer counselors went above and beyond in accommodating me through class
scheduling, transferring of credits, and meeting degree requirements. Representing SRU not
RQO\DVDWUDQVIHUVWXGHQWEXWDFURVVFRXQWU\DQGWUDFNDQGñHOGDWKOHWHDVZHOO,FRXOGQRW
have asked for a better transfer experience.”
—Connor MacKelvey
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION/SPECIAL EDUCATION MAJOR
www.sru.edu/Transfer2SRU
www.sru.edu/Transfer2SRU
5
Masters of media
By Jaron Talotta
Student
Most students at Reading Area Community College are probably
unaware of the many working gears that go on, often behind the
scenes, to deliver all of the services that RACC students have come
to expect over the years. With increasingly sophisticated technology
becoming the norm in all kinds of classes—a trend that started
decades ago and has increased greatly in recent years— colleges require dedicated technicians and coordinators to both manage and
produce the needed technologically-based media.
Though RACC’s Media Services require a fairly significant amount
of work, two individuals handle most of the job: Roger Kimpland,
Coordinator of Educational Media, and Ryan Matz, Services Technician for Educational Media. While both overlap in their areas of
work—when one has day(s) off, or is simply off campus, the other
assumes many his fellow employee’s responsibilities—both generally handle many individual parts of the job separately.
Perhaps some are unaware, but at one time “technology” meant
tech such as VCR’s and thick tube televisions. All of this old tech
had to be (and some still needs to be) upgraded as the technology
advanced. Even today, about half of RACC classrooms still have
VHS capable players. Nearly every room is equipped with Smart
Technology—72 Smart Screen Projectors overall—and 34 of these are
equipped with new LED Laser Projectors. Recently, 19 new rooms
have had their tech upgraded and five whole Smart projectors were
installed. This latest upgrade was made possible by an infusion of
State funds; desired upgrades are usually slow to happen, due to
budgetary issues.
Kimpland handles much of the classroom tech, which involves a
bevy of responsibilities, including but not limited to: Smart Room installation, software updates, preventative technical assistance, and
troubleshooting the various technical problems reported by professors. According to Kimpland, adjunct professors make up a far
larger percentage of Kimpland’s calls for assistance than full-time,
regular professors, as one might expect. Kimpland estimated that he
receives an average of 4 to 5 calls a day to fix something or another,
or to help a professor figure out how to work something. As the average semester rolls on, the frequency of service calls for Kimpland
generally decreases.
Nearly every class at RACC utilizes Angel Learning online, and
this utilization heavily contributes to the number of videos that require managing (around 700), largely managed by Ryan Matz. These
videos can include everything from tutorials for campus services, to
Angel courses, to website content in video form. Matz manages
video services on campus that include student events, and classroom
and commercial video products for the RACC website. According to
Matz, however, his main responsibility involves helping build media
(both video and audio) for Distance Learning.
Matz often works with administrators, faculty, and staff to plan
video projects, write the scripts, shoot the actual footage, edit, and
prepare the video for the web. He must also ensure that these videos
contain closed captions to meet ADA compliance for anyone with a
hearing disability. Matz also works as a Smart Classroom Technology trainer, which involves providing instruction to RACC faculty
and staff on how to properly operate classroom Smart technology in
an hour-long class.
Ryan Matz, Educational Media
Services Technician
Roger Kimpland, Coordinator of
Educational Media
Stating that these two men are vital to RACC’s daily survival is not
an exaggeration. They literally keep the place—at least its digital
side, which in this day and age constitutes a significant portion—
moving.
6
Michael Gershe speaks to RACC students.
Michael gershe brings unique
story to racc campus
By Dawn Heinbach
FSJ Staff Writer
From the beginning, Michael Gershe's life was far from typical. At
just eight weeks old, he was in a horrific car accident caused by a
drunk driver. His mother was killed. Almost every bone in baby
Michael's body was broken and he nearly lost his life as well.
His father eventually hired Dolly Morris, a kind Jamaican woman,
to help raise Michael and his brother.
They moved to Florida when Gershe was four years old. Dolly
gave up everything she had to move with them, dedicated to caring
for the boys.
Being born into Jewish culture brought its own particular issues.
But three white males living in Florida with a black woman in the
1970s? Gershe learned a lot about bullying.
on November 7, from the new stage in the renovated Ravens
Lounge, Gershe shared his story of antisemitism and racism, and the
unique perspective his Jamaican “mom” imparted on coping with
people's ignorance.
Growing up, Gershe's role models were Tigger and Spiderman.
He identified with the similarities between Peter Parker's life and his
own, and he liked how, when Parker put on his mask, he gained
other-worldly powers and fought bad guys.
Continued on page 7
Michael Gershe Source: themagicoflife.com
7
Michael Gershe's tips
for handling bullies
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Use your sense of humor
Dolly's tip: Don't pay any attention to the harassers
Take away their power over you
Believe in yourself – no one can take this away from you.
Spend your time and energy around positive people
Choose some role models outside of your family
Listen to plenty of KISS and Bob Marley
Michael gershe
Gershe also listened to a lot of KISS music, and counts Paul Stanley
and Gene Simmons as two of his biggest role models. In contrast to the
misconception that rock and roll can encourage deviance, he never did
drugs or drank alcohol.
He was on the swim team of his high school and his prowess earned
him a scholarship to Ashland University in Ashland, ohio.
When asked if he was angry at the drunk driver who killed his mom,
Gershe says, “For a long time, I was. I swam angry; that was my outlet.”
At college, Gershe was often the target of jokes by other students and
even adults. His swim coach questioned him about why the Jews killed
Jesus and enjoyed telling antisemitic jokes to the team.
Gershe's response to these displays of rudeness was to behave in an
unexpected way. He used his sense of humor to go along with the teasing and minimize his sensitivity. For example, in response to being
teased about the that Jews have big noses, Gershe fashioned a cardboard beak like the cartoon character Toucan Sam and hung it on his
dorm door.
He adjusted his behavior in other ways, too.
“I always brought pizza to whatever meeting or party I was going to,
so they would see that I wasn't cheap,” Gershe said.
In addition to talking about different strategies to defuse bullies,
Gershe also gave RACC students an important message: never be afraid
to show people who you are.
“Not everyone is going to like you and that's okay,” he said. “Be
with the people who do love you.”
Michael Gershe presents his diversity programs, “Jewish Born, Jamaican Raised” and “The Magic of Life,”
at high schools and colleges around the country. For
more info: themagicoflife.com
8
Phi Theta Kappa Induction Ceremony Attendees (Summer). Top, left to right: Shailyn Perez, Robert Minnich, Dana Stout,
Emily Wickel. Bottom, left to right: Rachel Lee, Rachael Hall, Micaela Heckman, Veronica Ehrhart, Angelyn Dodson
Phi theta Kappa
welcomes inductees
RACC's Alpha Sigma Rho
chapter of Phi Theta Kappa welcomed the following students as
new members in 2013. The Induction Ceremony was held on
November 20.
Summer Inductees:
Mariuxi Arrieta
Alexesis Butler
Shawna Cramner
Rhealynn Davis
Vassilya Dewar-Sheets
Angelyn Dodson
Tonee Doelman
Veronica Ehrhart
Tiffany Fick
Quinten Garber
Rachael Hall
Micaela Heckman
Justine Kissling
Melissa Laureano
Rachel Lee
Robert Minnich III
Shailyn Perez
Geoffrey Pitman
Dana Stout
Emily Wickel
Fall Inductees
Raquel Almodovar
Suzanne Angstadt
Maria Arias
Kim Beadencup
Ana Beck
Reinier Blok
Christian Bower
Kristen Broussard
Robert Burchett
Caitlin Cass
Samuel Castellucci
Amber Corbett
Tracey Davies
Mary Dissinger
Berline Exume
Jennifer Horrocks
Daniel Johnston
Eugene Krim
Julie Lathrop
Mario Logozzo
Vanessa Lopez
Charles Mangan
Liana Marmolejos
Catherine Martin
Candace McWhorter
Zachary Miller
Angelica Monserrate
Jessica Newman-Kegerise
Shanna Poindexter
Alexis Robison
Elizabeth Rogers
Karla Roldan-Castillo
Katherine Schwartz
Montanna Sims-Mosley
Andrew Staudt
Emely Tremols
Natasha Waddy
Alisha Walton
Sarah Weld
Gerard White
Desiree Williams
Jennifer Wolf
9
Phi Theta Kappa Induction Ceremony Attendees (Fall). Top, left to right: Eugene Krim, Gerard White, Zachary Miller, Charles Mangan,Kristen Broussard, Andrew Staudt. Middle, left to right: Liana Marmolejos, Alexis Robison, Angelica Monserrate, Suzanne Angstadt, Kim Beadencup, Caitlin Cass, Emely Tremols, Montanna Sims-Mosley, Tracey Davies. Bottom, left to right: Desiree Williams, Natasha Waddy, Raquel
Almodovar, Christina Bower, Mary Dissinger, Julie Lathrop, Alisha Walton, Sarah Weld
the Blackbird report
You know you are a racc student...
By Richard DiGirolamo
FSJ Staff Writer
• If student clubs have more mandates
than Taylor Swift has break up songs,
you may be a RACC student.
• If you could order and eat a pizza before
the elevator arrives, you may be a
RACC student.
• If the resale value of your text books
drops 150% after passing the entrance
to the cafeteria, you may be a RACC
student.
• If you need to have a fundraiser in order
to purchase supplies to hold a
fundraiser for your club, you may be a
RACC student.
• If you can’t walk from the parking lot to
•
•
•
•
•
the school without pieces of a bridge
falling on your head, you may be a
RACC student.
If your email account gets updated as
often as your Facebook account, you
may be a RACC student.
If you get an E2 Campus alert that school
is closed 5 minutes after your class is
due to start, you may be a RACC student.
If you have to walk through a cloud of
smoke in order to get to the library,
you may be a RACC student.
If eating lunch requires putting money
into a vending machine, you may be a
RACC student.
If you think The Blackbird Report is real
F ol l ow
u s!
news, you may be a RACC student
• If the only sporting event on campus involves hula hoops to raise money for
local charities, you may be a RACC
student.
• If you are able to find innumerable
classes that fit your busy lifestyle, you
may be a RACC student.
• If the cost of your education is inversely
proportional to the quality of your education, you may be a RACC student.
• If you transfer to a four year college and
realize that your prior education was
second to none, you may be a RACC
student.
Facebook.com/FrontStreetJournal
10
The Word
on Front
Street
Would you feel safer if security guards were
allowed to carry weapons?
Lately there has been a lot of talk about
gun safety and gun violence. This particular
question from Front Street Journal makes me
think immediately of the George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin case. I do not necessarily think that security guards being
armed is a bad thing, but it is disconcerting
that there is potential for the protection to go
wrong. As much as I would like to feel comforted on campus, I trust that I am being
smart enough to not get myself into a situation that would cause me harm.
My ultimate opinion would be no, I would
not feel safer if security guards on campus
were armed.
I cannot honestly say that my decision
would be the same if the Zimmerman/Martin case had not occurred. It concerns me to
think that anyone could be mistaken for
causing trouble when they are not. on the
flip side, it also concerns me that someone
could be causing trouble and not be stopped.
There are other forms of security that do not
do as much damage as a gun.
Lastly, I would like to see guns kept
safely at the gun range instead of in public
places.
—Allison Konnick
There are both negative and positive
points about having guns on campus. one
negative point is that students may settle
problems with guns instead of words. People may be seriously hurt or killed on purpose or by accident.
on the other hand, people tend to respect
someone who carries a gun. For example,
people respect the police because they know
that the gun is a symbol of authority, and the
police officer will use it if he has to. Crimes
are increasing on campus, so I think that if
guards carry guns, people will be less likely
to commit crimes, because they are afraid of
being shot by the security guard.
— Bertha Rodriguez
Seeing so many crazy shootouts and fights
around Reading, I feel like security guards
should be able to protect themselves with
guns. I worked as a security guard at RACC
and I did not feel so safe at night when I had
nothing to protect myself with. Suspicious
people came by during the night pulling on
the door and looking through the windows.
There were two vans parked in the front of
the parking lot where I worked at the front
desk. I was a little nervous, but as part my
job I went outside to make sure nothing out
of the ordinary happened. When I spoke to
them, they said they were waiting for someone and they just happened to park there. I
did not feel safe because there were a few
men outside the van and that made me uncomfortable. I later heard that the people in
the van were near the lake across the street
from RACC and one was caught with drugs.
— Emanuel Duna
I do believe that the security guards on
campus should be required to carry guns. In
the event of a security threat on campus, it
could take anywhere from five to ten minutes for police to arrive, which is more than
enough time for innocent lives to be taken.
Security guards are already on campus
which eliminates the time it would take for
someone to call 911 and for police to arrive.
I also think that, should this happen, our
current guards would either need extensive
training and/or background checks or they
would need to be replaced altogether. I am
in no way saying that our guards are not
qualified for their jobs, but adding guns to
the mix would require quite a bit more caution when considering potential security
guards. As a student, though, I would feel
quite a bit safer on campus should the
guards be equipped with firearms.
— Rachel Nitsch
I believe the students at RACC would be
safer if the security guards were able to carry
guns. If security guards at other colleges
where school shootings have occurred had
carried guns, they might have saved a couple of lives. If there was a situation of a gunman in the school, armed security guards
could prevent people from getting hurt. The
security guards are there to protect the people and I feel that they could do that more efficiently with a gun.
Security guards can not protect the people
at the college with just a flash light and
mace. If there were any real danger, the security guards couldn't do their job because
they don't have the proper tools. I believe
that the security guards using guns is more
effective than using alternative weapons
against an intruder in the college.
—Rebecca Powell-Quick
The recent rash of violence in schools and
workplaces has been cited as a reason to arm
security guards, the belief being that armed
security guards would deter would-be criminals from acting out in a violent nature. The
reality, however, is that arming security
guards is a smoke screen, an obscuration
that is designed to give the appearance of
safety rather than actually increasing safety.
Cities such as Washington D.C., Chicago,
New York, and Detroit that have some of the
highest number of armed police officers per
capita also have some of the highest crime
rates. If the number of armed guards or police officers were a true deterrent to violent
crimes, we should see a statistically significant decrease in crime when there is an increased presence of armed officers.
The reason we don’t see this decrease in
crime is because we are expecting the people
who perpetrate these crimes to act in a logical and rational manner. The problem with
that expectation is that the very nature of violence in schools and workplaces is irrational. After every episode of violence,
experts always point to some mental and/or
emotional breakdown that directly lead to
the act. People acting in an illogical and irrational manner are not going to look at an
armed guard and analyze whether or not
what they plan to do is worth the risk. They
are just going to carry out their plans.
— Sara Leisey
Share your
thoughts
Do you use your Ravens
email? If not, why not?
What services would you
like RACC to offer on
weekends?
Send your submissions to
[email protected] for publication in
the next issue.
The Word
on Front
Street
Would you feel safer if security guards were
allowed to carry weapons?
I feel ambivalent about this issue. on one
hand, I think it would be good in case there
ever was an emergency. However, I also feel
that by allowing firearms on campus, we open
up the possibility for things to go wrong.
on the other hand, I believe that faculty
and staff should be able to carry firearms, so
that in case of emergency they are ready to
protect the students and staff. I would be
comfortable if staff members who are trained
and have a permit to carry a firearm have
weapons on campus, but I would not be
comfortable with students carrying firearms
on campus. I do think that students should
have to take self-defense classes as part of a
course if they are doing work study in security.
—Glenda I. De Leon
contacted if necessary.
—Alexandra Terrell, Nursing major
Not really. Perhaps I would if they carried
tazers or another type of nonlethal weapon.
11
Security guards are just as easily able to have
a mental breakdown and go on a shooting
spree as anyone else. With proper training,
nonlethal weapons can be just as effective as
a firearm for protection.
—Kate Sodon, Psychology major
Academic excellence.
Accelerated format.
Albright College.
No! I wouldn't want anyone to ever feel
they had a reason to use or even pull a gun.
—L.M. DiBenedetto,
Medical Lab Technician major
New accelerated evening major in digital communications
Absolutely not! RACC is really not that
bad, and a security guard wouldn't shoot
someone if they were robbing a car anyway.
—Emily Prigmore, Liberal Arts major
No, I do not feel they are professional or
responsible enough to carry firearms. I
could understand maybe a taser or a spray
can of mace. If a situation call for firearms,
the police should be called.
—Victoria Macklin, Social Science major
Scholarships available for Reading Area Community College graduates
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No, I would not feel safe. Why not hire legitimate security already trained to carry
firearms? Why not invest in more visual security (more cameras, better lighting at
night, more accessible call boxes)?
—Ny'esha Coleman, Nursing major
No, because of the fact that they aren't
trained to do so. The size of RACC wouldn't
require such action, and the police could be
A CCE LE RAT E D DE GRE E P ROGRA M
12
60
&
counting...
By Dawn Heinbach
FSJ Staff Writer
If you are looking for a role
model to keep you motivated
with your exercise goals, you
don't have to look any further
than RACC's campus. Sana
Malik has been working out in
the Fitness Center for a year and
a half, and has lost 60 pounds.
Yes, you read that right—sixty
pounds. That is equivalent to 8
gallons of water, 4 car tires, or a
medium-sized dog!
Malik is a non-traditional student majoring in Liberal Arts.
She will graduate from RACC in
May and transfer to Temple University to major in Costume Design. Malik is a member of Phi
Theta Kappa, served as Associate Editor and Staff Writer for
the Front Street Journal, and has
worked as a Raven Ambassador
for the past two years. Last semester she was promoted to Intern.
I asked Malik to share her
weight loss experience with FSJ
readers. Her responses are
below.
DH: When you decided to lose
weight, how did you begin with
changing your eating habits?
How did you go about starting
an exercise program?
SM: At first, I was really focused
on improving my diet. I would
focus on picking healthier options for snacks (like an apple
Continued on page 13
with peanut butter instead of
cookies). Then I began to switch
out one meal a day for a salad
with chicken breast. As time progressed, I added more fruits and
vegetables to my everyday diet
and I would have one day a
week as a “cheat” day. However,
that cheat day lessened into just
a “cheat” meal as I began to
crave the healthy stuff.
Getting into the gym was a lot
harder so I just made a goal of 30
minutes of cardio three times a
week. As I became more comfortable, I increased my time in
the gym to five days a week and
began integrating weights into
my routine.
DH: How often do you work out
now?
SM: Three to five days a week. I
try to vary my workouts from
things I can do at home to machine workouts.
DH: Did you start using the
RACC gym right away?
SM: Yes! I had worked at another gym in the area for a while
but I never used the facilities.
When I decided to make weight
loss a priority, RACC’s gym was
the most convenient. However,
it took about four months before
I became a regular gym-goer.
DH: What has your experience
been with the RACC gym and its
staff?
SM: The staff at the gym has always been very helpful and
pleasant. Anytime I needed as-
Sana Malik minus sixty pounds. Cardiovascular exercise is
a regular part of her workout. Photo by Dawn Heinbach.
counting
sistance on a machine or working the AV equipment in the Multipurpose Room, they were always there.
DH: What do you do when you exercise?
SM: If I am in the gym, I like to jog on the treadmill and use the elliptical for cardio followed by a mix of free-weights and weight machines. If I am at home, I do bodyweight exercises like squats and
lunges, and jumping jacks and high-knees for cardio. If it’s a really
nice day, I will do a few laps around my neighborhood.
DH: How much weight have you lost to date?
SM: Around 60 pounds, although I don’t like to weigh myself as it
isn’t always a good indicator of how much fat has been lost. I have
lost 6 dress sizes, going from a size 16 to a 10.
DH: How do you stay motivated?
SM: It's fun to think about wearing a bikini at the beach, but what really keeps me motivated is that I am developing good habits that will
keep me healthy for the rest of my life.
DH: What is your diet like now? Is there anything you do not eat?
SM: I love eating! And while there really isn’t anything that I don’t
eat, I stay away from high fat/salt/sugar foods, focusing on foods
that are “whole” (like whole grains, fresh fruits and tons of vegetables). Having fruit and vegetables everyday can be a little boring so I
love to jazz things up by trying new herbs and spices. I have learned
that labeling certain foods as “bad” made me think about them so
much that I would then binge on them. If my body is craving something like chocolate or a cookie, I’ll have a piece. But I won’t eat a
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13
whole tray since I know I can have it again another day. It’s all about
moderation!
DH: What is your ultimate goal as far as exercising?
SM: At first, I wanted to compete in a fitness competition like my
mother but now I am focusing on being healthy and having enough
energy to complete my college degree.
DH: What advice do you have for anyone who is planning to start
an exercise program in the New Year, or someone who just wants to
eat healthier and be healthier?
SM: Get started! Don’t wait for a Monday or a new month to begin a
healthier lifestyle. Small changes over time are what matters most
when it comes to changing yourself. And don’t give up. If you are focusing on losing pounds, do remember that the journey is a bumpy
one. I have had days when I haven’t worked out and ate poorly. But
once I became refocused, I got right back on the treadmill and started
again. The most important thing is that you don’t quit.
LEFT: Malik at
250 pounds.
Photo courtesy
of Sana Malik
BELoW: An
obvious difference at 220
pounds. Photo
by Dawn Heinbach.
14
Time to work out! Left to right: Mario Morancy, Ben Middleton, Brenden Krauss. Above photo by Rachel Lee.
Photos on Pages, 15, 16, 17 by Dawn Heinbach.
find your fuel
at racc’s fitness center
“If you feel intimidated coming to the
gym for the first time, my advice is to just
pretend that you are walking into your
bedroom at home. If you feel self-conscious, you can use the trick of pretending
that everyone else in the gym is blind.”
Mario Morancy
Gym attendant for 1 year
By Rachel Lee
FSJ Correspondent
Every year, thousands of Americans silently (or loudly) vow to eat
better, exercise more, and lose those awful extra pounds they packed
on from all the stress and food during the past two months.
By the end of January, if you are anything like most people, many
of your resolutions—especially those about fitness—have fizzled.
Mountains of excuses and complaints slide your resolutions sideways
and out of sight until next New Year’s Eve.
There is, however, an optimal place to go that will help you banish
all those excuses and keep you on track to your New Year’s fitness
and weight loss goals: RACC’s Fitness Center!
Nestled at the South end of the Student Union Building, the Fitness Center has everything you need to keep in shape, lose weight,
tone muscles, gain flexibility, and increase stamina! The on-campus
location makes it extremely convenient to squeeze in a work-out before, after or between classes. The Fitness Center has a variety of options—no matter what your age, ability, or preference—to help you
meet your individual New Year’s Resolutions.
For those who like the typical gym, the Fitness Center boasts
treadmills, ellipticals, and stair-steppers for cardiovascular exercise,
plus free weights and machines that target every muscle of your
body.
If you prefer to exercise outdoors rather than inside, there are
groups of students or faculty who meet at the fitness center to run,
walk, and bike at the same time each day or week.
“My advice to anyone starting a workout
program is to just get down here. The
hardest thing is getting past that first step.
Whether it's the knowledgable staff, the
equipment, or the atmosphere, we have
all the resources you need.”
Benjamin Middleton
Gym attendant for 2.5 years
fitness
Prefer to be inside but dislike using machines? Check out the fitness center’s Multipurpose Room. With plenty of floor space, a walllength mirror, and a large-screen television, this room is packed with
yoga balls, aerobic equipment, exercise mats, mountains of exercise
tapes, and even kick-boxing equipment. (Yes, you read that correctly:
there is a kick-boxing bag at RACC!)
If you are not sure how to structure a workout for yourself, or you
just know you will slack off without others to motivate you, the gym
offers FREE classes led by professionals. From calming Yoga, which
focuses on flexibility and strength, to fast-paced, calorie-burning
Zumba, to strength-building P90X and fat-burning Insanity, there is
something for everyone. This spring, the Fitness Center staff is hoping to offer each of these classes at least three times a week, which
means there will be at least two classes a day! [Editor's Note: These
classes are paid for through RACC's Student Activities department.]
Even better than these countless ways to get fit is the fact that
RACC's gym contains some of the friendliest staff on campus! The
15
“It's important to have the gym on campus because it provides students and faculty a healthy way to relieve stress
throughout the semester. It also helps creates a habit of fitness that they will hopefully continue.”
Eduardo Reyes
Gym attendant for 3 years
Fitness Center is staffed and managed by student workers who are
trying to pay their way through college, just like the majority of students.
Ben Rosenberger, Director of Financial Aid, and Kimberly Uphold, Financial Aid and Records Assistant, are the RACC personnel
in charge of the gym, but they do not work in it.
No matter whom you meet when you walk in, you will be kindly
welcomed. Any trepidation will vanish when you walk into the office. Smiles will greet you, and the wonderfully patient staff will answer all of your questions in a professional and supportive manner.
once you begin using the Fitness Center, you will find that the
staff and other gym-goers will become an invaluable support system.
You will look forward to seeing them, and they will ask where you
were if you miss a workout. Surrounding yourself with like-minded
people who share the same goals is one of the best ways to ensure
success.
So make 2014 the year that you can give a positive answer to the
question, “How is your New Year’s resolution going?” Visit the
RACC Fitness Center and start now!
16
“To start off eating completely healthy is
intimidating, so do it in small bits. Start by
turning just one meal a day into a healthy
meal, and increase it until all your meals
are healthy ones. Don't go backward, but
if going forward is too much of a leap, it's
okay to make a compromise.”
Michael Baba
RACC Fitness Center hours
Monday – Thursday: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday: 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
“When starting a workout program, it's important to remember that Rome wasn't built in a day. The first week
will be rough, but real results take time. You'll get
there!”
Steven Bene
“It's important to build muscle because it weighs
more than fat. Adding weight lifting to your workout can cut your gym time in half because muscle
helps your body burn more calories.”
Ivy Copeland, Nighttime Manager
“Diet is very important in reaching your goals. People who want
to lose weight often lose motivation if their diet is not balanced
because they won't see results.”
Spiro Keene, Daytime Manager
“The best thing
about having a gym
on campus is that it
gives students an alternative choice for
stress relief. Instead
of smoking or drinking, they can work
out and feel refreshed and ready to
learn.”
Anthony Schappell
III
Gym attendant for
1.5 years
17
“I have lost 60-80 pounds in the two
years that I've been working out in the
RACC gym. If people are working out
for the sole purpose of losing weight, it's
easy to lose motivation. If they view the
goal of working out as part of a healthy
lifestyle, losing weight becomes a natural
side effect.”
Brenden Krauss
Gym attendant for 4 months
Things to know
• Bring your own lock for the lockers. Locks
can be purchased from the Student Government Association.
• The locker room includes showers.
• Before using the gym for the first time, you
must sign a waiver.
• You CANNoT take anything into the gym or
multipurpose room except your iPod.
• You must scan in and out and pin your ID on
the cork board in the office while you work
out.
• No ID = No GYM
• ASK if you need help. Everyone is really
nice!
• Student workers are NoT certified personal
trainers, but most know how to use every
machine.
• RELAX & HAVE FUN!
18
Peggy Wetzel delivers a tentative kiss to the Ugly Pink Fish, a plastic container in which to microwave fish. Photo by Rachel Lee.
the ugly Pink fish
A
tale
of
regifting
By Rachel Lee
FSJ Correspondent
omething “fishy” has been going on at RACC right below our very noses. And it’s been
happening for YEARS! Twenty, in fact, come this June.
S
Surprisingly, this “fishy business” began
as a practical joke between two of RACC’s
longest-working staff members during the
staff’s Spring Picnic at Blue Marsh in 1994.
Everyone who attended was asked to bring
something that could be re-gifted as a door
prize. In the spirit of fairness and fun, everyone who brought a door prize was given a
ticket for a raffle. When your ticket number
was called, you could pick a prize for your-
self. Most of the door prizes were simple: a
six-pack of Coke, a Yankee Candle, a gift
card to the movie theater. While everyone
was enjoying the picnic, one staff member,
Pat Rothenberger (now Pat Gerry), was informing her best friend, Peggy Wetzel, that
she needed to leave the picnic early. Pat
asked Peggy to grab a door prize for her, and
regifting
Peggy—of course—agreed.
“What do you want, Pat?” Peggy inquired.
“oh, I don’t care. Anything, really. Anything but the ugly pink
plastic fish thing over there,” Pat replied.
Peggy did what any good friend would do. on Monday morning
when Pat came into work, the ugly pink fish was “strategically
placed” and waiting for Pat on her desk. Peggy had made sure that
Pat won the ugly pink fish as her door prize! After a few grumbles
on Pat’s part, and a good laugh on Peggy’s part, the practical joke
was over and life continued as normal.
Pat, however, had other ideas. on the last day before Christmas
vacation of 1994, Pat brought the most beautifully wrapped present
to work and went to find her best friend,
Peggy. Despite the fact they did not exchange presents any more, Pat wanted to
give Peggy something special in honor of
their friendship. Finding Peggy in the hallway, Pat began explaining to Peggy that
she had decided their tradition of not exchanging presents was not right since
Peggy is her dearest friend. In honor of this
friendship, Pat stated that she had found
this gift that she simply NEEDED to give to
Peggy. With tears threatening to stream
down her face because of Pat’s heartfelt
words, Peggy accepted the present.
other office staff quickly gathered, as many had overheard part of
this touching interaction and were quite excited to see the gift. Peggy
unwrapped the present slowly and carefully. When she opened the
box lid, the ugly pink fish was staring her in the face, unbelievably
ugly and as pink as ever! Needless to say, Peggy was furious and Pat
was—in today’s lingo—RoTFLoL. Fueled by the fury of friendly
fire, Peggy silently declared war on Pat.
Like any good operative, Peggy waited, hidden in the shadows,
for the opportune moment to strike back at Pat. The time had finally
come: it was Valentine’s day of 1995. With a card signed by Peggy’s
husband and the ugly pink fish hidden in a perfectly wrapped Victoria’s Secret box, Peggy snuck to work early on Valentine’s day in
order to leave a “secret admirer present” on Pat’s chair.
When Pat arrived at work, she had no reason to think the present
was from anyone but a secret admirer. Checking over both shoulders
to see if anyone noticed, Pat quickly hid the present in a desk drawer
until she could open it alone. When she did, of course, Pat was much
surprised to find the ugly pink fish and not some sexy gift. (The ugly
pink fish, by no one’s standards, would be considered sexy.) of
course, Pat now understood that war had been declared and the
proverbial “ball” (or fish) was in her court.
Pat plotted quietly to return the Ugly Pink Fish (now known as
the UPF) to Peggy on her birthday. To throw Peggy off-guard for this
next attack, Pat gave it to Peggy’s friend MaryAnn to deliver. of
course, this type of sneak-attack worked perfectly and the UPF war
was now fueled by a different type of warfare—one without boundaries. It appeared that anyone could be used in order to deliver the
next attack.
over the next twelve years, the war raged on with the fish being
bounced back and forth between Pat and Peggy in one creative way
or another, and by using husbands and friends to deliver the attacks.
But the most creative and impressive attack was launched on February 15, 2006 when Peggy was being honored at Staff Development
19
Day for her 35 years of service to RACC. At the event, the President
of the College came to the microphone, and announced, “I want to
take this opportunity to recognize a member of our staff for her special contribution to Reading Area Community College. For a number
of years, we have counted on her to turn our campus into a show
place for our special events. I just wanted to say thank you with this
small token of our appreciation.”
As everyone applauded, Peggy—completely surprised—walked
towards the president in order to receive her gift: THE UGLY PINK
FISH! Everyone on staff who knew about the UPF roared with laughter and everyone who did not was quite confused. Peggy, of course,
was appropriately furious, and the war raged on.
In fact, the “war” between these two life-long friends, who met
when they both were interviewing for the same job at Reading Area
Community College in June of 1971 (before the college was even
open!), continues to this day. Many faculty
and staff members who work at RACC
Today have their own personal memories
of this ongoing war and its numerous battles. Many of the staff have even been a
part of this war, as one rule of battle is that
Pat and Peggy cannot use the same person
twice to deliver the UPF.
This past November, I was lucky
enough to make my own memory in the
UPF war as I donned my battle gear and
took part in a sneak attack. I innocently attended the annual Reading Area Community College Foundation for RACC Scholarship Dinner, and met my
scholarship benefactor, Pat Gerry. over the course of that meal, Pat
and I “hit it off” and she began telling me about her life when she
worked at RACC. As we were conversing, she asked her daughter,
Sarah, if she had delivered “the package” to “Maria” yet. My investigative instincts piqued, I just had to ask, “What package?” Laughing to herself, Pat briefly explained the UPF and its history to me.
She further expounded that currently she was trying to get the UPF
to Maria Mitchell, so that Maria could give it to Peggy as a Thanksgiving gift. The problem was how to get the package to Maria without Peggy's knowledge. Since Peggy knows Sarah, she could
possibly put the pieces of the puzzle together if she happened to see
Sarah going into Maria’s office. Having a sudden epiphany, Pat
asked me if I could take the package to Maria. Pat figured that since
Peggy had no idea Pat knew me, Peggy would not be suspicious if
she saw me visiting Maria. Without any idea of what I was exactly
getting myself into, I agreed; I was up for an adventure.
The next week at school, I sneakily entered the Graphic Arts department where Sarah works and picked up the package. Storing it
securely in my back-pack, I then tried to find Maria in her office,
which was very hard to do. After a few failed attempts, I had another
faculty member warn Maria that I would arrive at 11 a.m. the next
day for a visit. Maria was prepared for me this time and the package
was safely delivered.
A week or two later, I received word that the UPF had made it to
Peggy and that she was quite surprised! In late December, I finally
had the honor of meeting Peggy and she informed me that the plan
is hatched to return the UPF. However, I am sworn to secrecy regarding the details, and look forward to watching the rest of this
story unfold.
And it looks like there is plenty more to come: Peggy says that the
war will continue until someone dies. Peggy hopes that Pat goes
first—if only by a week—because “whoever dies first is being buried
with the ugly thing!”
20
Saying goodbye to home
racc’s longest-serving staff member retires
By Rachel Lee
FSJ Correspondent
Anyone who has ever moved knows that
saying goodbye is never easy. But how does
one say goodbye—not only to a place, but to
a community—that has been home for over
two-thirds of your life?
That is the question Peggy Wetzel struggles to answer as she counts down the remaining days to retirement and Reading
Area Community College sadly bids “live
long and prosper” to a woman who began
working at RACC before the doors to the
college ever opened to students.
In June of 1971, Wetzel, a fresh graduate
of Central High School (now Berks Catholic),
was scouring the job market with her best
friend, Linda Illig. After a few rejections,
they decided to interview at the newly forming Reading Area Community College. As
Wetzel and Illig walked through the doors
into their interview, they noticed that there
was one other person waiting to be interviewed: a business school graduate, just a
few years older and wearing a fresh crisp
suit. Looking at each other, Illig and Wetzel
both figured they stood no chance against
this professional lady, but they continued
with the interviews anyway. on July 3, to
Wetzel’s utmost surprise, she received a call
informing her that RACC had decided to
hire her; she was to begin working in the library. Amazingly, Illig was also hired, as
was the professional-looking business lady.
And so it happened that RACC became
part of Wetzel’s life.
over the next year, Wetzel worked in
RACC’s library on the third floor of what is
now Northmont Elementary School. Wetzel
disliked this job, and in 1972 she requested a
transfer to a different department. Her request was granted and Peggy continued
working for RACC. Since then, Wetzel has
worked for nearly every department and has
had about 25 bosses.
“I have never worked for maintenance
and I have never been president,” Wetzel
said.
Despite never being president, Wetzel has
personally worked for five of RACC’s presidents. She also served as a union representative for the Class and Bargaining Unit for
over 15 years.
of all of the departments, however, Wet-
Peggy Wetzel, Assistant to the Director of Advising. Photo by Rachel Lee.
zel loves working in Student Affairs best. “It
is hard for me not to work with the students” she explained. And Wetzel's commitment to RACC is tangible; the passion seeps
through her voice and her love for RACC
well up in her eyes whenever she speaks
about leaving.
For Wetzel, working at RACC was never
“just a job” (except maybe that first year in
the library). To her, RACC is home—it’s an
integral part of her life. Not only has she
contributed to RACC’s progress, she has
watched it grow from a little building with
only 265 students to the cluster of buildings
it is today, serving over 4,000 students. In
fact, she has never worked at another job.
She took off only five years off between 1978
and 1983 in order to spend time with her
firstborn, Derrick, and then with her second
child, Nickole.
Critical parts of her life are woven into the
campus, the faculty, the students, and the
staff. For example, one of her closest life-long
friends is that same business woman, Pat
Gerry, who also interviewed at RACC back
in June of 1971. Wetzel even got married at
the Holiday Inn on Second Street, which is
now Berks Hall!
obviously, RACC is just as important in
Wetzel's life as her presence is to RACC. Her
retirement this January will be hard for the
entire school, and especially for Wetzel, who
knows the hardest part of retirement is the
reality that she will not be a part of whatever
is in store for RACC’s future.
Despite the tears, Wetzel has much to
look forward to: three beautiful grandchildren to spoil and a long bucket list that includes traveling. She will never run out of
things to do! In addition, the best part of retirement—according to her—is that she will
no longer have to worry about what she
going to wear every day!
The RACC community stands in tribute of
this phenomenal woman who, in countless
ways, has shaped RACC into the school we
all know and love. Thank you, Peggy, for all
of your work, all of your dedication, all of
your love, all of your tears, and all of your
passion. You will not be forgotten as we follow your words of wisdom: “No matter
where RACC's future lies, I hope its history,
its past, and its commitment to community
will never be forgotten.”
This May, 1996 photo (RACC's 25th Anniversary) features the remaining original staff members who
worked at RACC since its opening in 1971.
Left to Right: Beverly J. Kovocs, Chair Social Services/Human Services; Patricia Rothenberger, Secretary to VP of Academic Affairs; Margaret “Peggy” Wetzel, Admissions Specialist; Dr. Richard Zarella,
Professor of Chemistry. Absent from photo: Joseph Leibreich, Professor, Business Division.
Photo courtesy of Graphic Arts department.
21
22
Left to right: Johann Gerardo Perez, Kevin Macklen, Gilberto Diaz, Al Vanim
Bunker attack!
advantage program and custodial services
team up to clean bunker steps
By Gil Díaz
Student
RACC students who use the steps on the
southwest corner of Second and Penn Streets
are very familiar with the reek of urine and
alcohol that often permeates the air around
them. Sometimes, broken bottles line the
sides of these steps and, in warm weather,
the people who drank from them can still be
found there, sound asleep and still clutching
the glass.
These steps are know as the “bunker
steps” to RACC staff and long-time students
because of their resemblance to a military
bunker. Although the bunker steps appear to
be on RACC property, they belong to the
City of Reading. It is obvious that city officials do not mandate that these steps be
cleaned regularly. Because the trash-ridden
and smelly steps look as though they belong
to RACC, they create a negative opinion towards the college in the collective minds of
the community.
I wondered if students here would be interested in volunteering to clean the steps.
As a member of RACC’s Advantage Program, I sought guidance from Al Vanim, the
program's Coordinator of Student Support
Services. Together, we contacted Kevin
Macklen, Director of Custodial Services, and
formed a collaborative effort to scrub and
wash the steps.
on November 1, 2013, Macklen provided a
long hose with running water, trash containers, rakes, and scrub brushes to Vanim and
Advantage Program volunteers Carla Moyer
(also a Raven Ambassador), Johann Gerardo
Perez, Tom Downing, and me. We began by
hosing down and scrubbing the steps and
finished by raking and picking up nearby
debris.
The transformation of the steps was amazing! Gone was the coating of black grime and
trash; gone was the stench of stale urine. A
feeling of pride and service came over the
group as well as an understanding that likeminded people can make a difference, not
just in our community but also here at
school.
Macklen stated that his department would
welcome any group that wants to organize
volunteer efforts to clean up areas of the
RACC campus.
If vagrants or litterers see that no one cares
about the cleanliness of areas that many of
us use, they are more inclined to throw trash
and urinate there. After all, if the areas are
already dirty, some may think it will do no
more harm to dirty them a bit more. Hopefully, the steps are able to stay clean for a
while.
I hope that other student clubs or programs at our college may collaborate and become actively involved in similar efforts here
at RACC or elsewhere in our community.
23
front Street fashionista
how to leave in style
By Sana Malik
Student
Hello, fellow Fashionistas and Fashionistos!
Your Front Street Style Maven is here, reporting
for the very last time. I know this is very sad news
but all good things must come to an end and this
issue is the last column for me. Not to get sentimental, but I often think about what impact I may
have had on others with the advice that I have
dished out over the past year. I hope that I have
inspired each and every person who has read the
Fashionista column to take chances on their personal style; to try and show just a little bit of their
unique personality in the clothing choices they
make.
I have also enjoyed getting to talk to all of my
fashionable fellow students. Your commitment to
elevating your personal style has inspired me to try a bit harder when I get dressed in the
morning (even though I think those sweats are mighty comfortable!).
And for those who think clothing and personal style is frivolous, I hope that you may take
a moment to realize how much putting on a special outfit can really change your outlook on
life.
Always remember these four things:
• Confidence is crucial. If you are “feeling” your look, then wear it with pride!
• Never underestimate the value of a good accessory. Man or woman, sometimes all you
need is an extra “something” to pull a look together.
• If you can see your underwear (top or bottom), throw on another layer. You know what
I mean: not all leggings are pants!
• And lastly, in the words of Kimora Lee Simmons, “Always dress like you’re going to
see your worst enemy.”
Stay Stylin’!
Find out more
If you need any style advice, check
out some of my favorite blogs:
• The Fashion Bomb Daily
(www.fashionbombdaily.com)
• Fashionista
(www.fashionista.com)
• College Fashionista
(www.collegefashionista.com)
24
don’t Miss this!
Wii Bowling Tournament
Wednesday, January
22
2 – 4 p.m.
Ravens Lounge, SUB
FREE to students
with RACC ID
Winter Blues Picnic &
Activities Fair
Thursday, January 23
11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
4:30 – 6 p.m.
Student Union Building
FREE to students with
RACC ID
RACC Idols
Friday, February 7
*Snow date: February 28
5 p.m.
Miller Center for the Arts
RACC ID
Coffeehouse Series
Jason o, musician,
Thursday, March 6, 2 p.m.
Ravens Lounge, SUB
FREE to students with RACC ID
President's Day Celebration
Monday, February 17
Watch for contest info!
12 noon Ravens Lounge, SUB
FREE to students with RACC ID
Ran' D Shine, Magician
“History of Black
Magicians”
Tuesday, February 11
2 p.m.
Ravens Lounge, SUB
RACC ID
These events are sponsored by the Student Government Association.
25
creative corner
Final Seconds
Prescription Pad
By Joshua Colon
FSJ Correspondent
New Year’s new fears,
Resolutions are just new ways of fighting
old revolutions.
How many chemicals will I consume this year?
How many will I decline?
Are these vain promises that I say in the mirror?
or codes of conduct by which I will be defined?
Will I vow to find love?
Will I love to vow celibacy?
Living one way during the day,
But existing as my old self in secrecy.
In these final moments before the end of this night,
Looking at the stars triggers me to consider
All of the new journeys that lie in wait.
May the Almighty keep me in check,
Not through fear
But through vigor on my new trek.
As we lift our glasses to the sound of trumpets marching in the saints,
We remember the formerly fallen
And rejoice for those given the gift of life.
Goodbye to memories past, both good and bad.
May the lessons that we have learned
Repel us from unfamiliar strife.
By Catherine Mahony
FSJ Correspondent
She sits alone – counting her pills –
Assorting them by color,
size and shape.
She waits alone for some
semblance of normalcy,
Something that is unattainable
and she knows it.
Teetering on an edge so sharp
it could slice through all
logic and reason.
Her moods ebb and flow like the
inconsistent currents of
a turbulent ocean,
Eroding her sanity with
each crashing wave.
She is a reassembled reflection,
Shards of mirrored puzzle pieces,
Fragmented and jagged.
She is flesh,
Bone and soul.
Her scars –
Made of hardened tissue,
Are re-opened for all to see.
Cardboard Skyscrapers
By Catherine Mahony
FSJ Correspondent
I have rested my head upon a sewer grate,
Lifting it only to see life pass me by –
walking briskly – to get to nowhere.
I have seen you;
You who could not see me,
You who WoULD not see me for fear
that it could be you.
I have felt the bitterness in the city air,
Tasted its cruelty on my tongue
as others hurried by –
eyes fixed – to reach the warmth
of their beds,
Beds that were not discarded cardboard,
Beds that were not
constructed out of desperation.
Cardboard condominiums that climb past
the multimillion dollar skyscrapers,
Barely scrape the surface of
the severity of the situation.
A single smile or kind word would have
filled my belly for a week,
Filled my heart with hope –
Hope that maybe I could walk
amongst the living again
and the hope that I, too,
Could be validated as human.
26
creative corner
Clockwise from top left:
Warning, Winter Visitors, Hungry, After
the Snowfall.
Photos by Dawn Heinbach
Poetic Prose
one Man Can
Make a Difference
By J. David Roslin
Student
The cynicism of the late 1950s was at its height.
The post war economy was doing well, and many
Americans were enjoying the good life. In most
American cities, the suburbs were expanding as
more and more new housing was being built. Factories were busy turning out all the new and different
products the world wanted to buy. America was
shipping everything you could possibly imagine—
from cars to toilet paper—to all parts of the world.
“Made in U.S.A.” was stamped on almost everything. The quality of life for Americans had reached
new heights and unemployment was low.
My mother and father’s generation had lived
through the lean years of the Great Depression. The
sacrifices and horrors of World War II were over for
most of them, and all they wanted was to forget the
bad times. They were eager to begin living the lives
that they had struggled, dreamed, and fought for. It
was time to milk life for as much as they could and
for as long as they could.
Many Americans stopped waving the flag during
those years and started waving their money. There
was no need to be patriotic; it wouldn’t buy anything, so why bother? Without realizing it, we had
turned into “Those ugly Americans.” American
pride had turned into American arrogance. “Flag
Waving,” as it was called, was something to be
avoided.
I soon learned that one man could change all that.
I was twelve years old in 1958, growing up as a
child of the fifties. It was a Sunday in July, and my
family and I were off for our usual excursion. Today
we would be going to Atlantic City. We hopped into
the old Buick and headed out for a day at the shore.
We arrived just before noon, parked the car, and
walked up to the boardwalk. We traveled halfway
along the boardwalk before we stopped. My mother
said to me, “There’s a parade coming; this is a good
place to stand and watch it.” A set of bleachers rose
next to where we stood, and they filled up quickly.
As the bands marched past the bleachers, they
played a patriot tune. Each band carried a set of colors that included the American flag. When the flag
passed by, I noticed that one old man stood up each
time. His hand went to his brow, and he saluted the
flag as it passed.
Some people looked over at him; others ignored
him completely, intent on watching the parade.
When he had done this for the third time, I heard
some people start to snicker. others in the crowd
started to make fun of his constant getting up, saluting, and sitting down.
“He’ll be at that all day,” someone said, loud
enough for all to hear.
Many in the crowd laughed.
“Sit down, old man!” another voice shouted.
But the old fellow continued to stand up every
time the flags passed. Soon, more people started getting angry. I couldn’t help but wonder why people
were getting so upset with this person. What was he
doing that bothered them so much? What was
wrong with saluting the flag? Were they so cynical
that they thought standing up and saluting the flag
was just showing off? People openly mocked the old
man each time he stood.
Then something happened that would change the
whole mood of the crowd.
The next time the flag came by the bleachers, the
man stood up; however, this time a small boy about
8 years old stood up with him. The boy slipped his
hand into the man’s, and they saluted the flag together. A silence came over the crowd as people
watched the man and the child stand together.
All of a sudden, other people started to stand up.
At that moment, the marching band stopped in front
of the spectators. The band turned toward the
bleachers and began playing “God Bless America.”
By this time, almost everyone was standing, and
some started to sing along. Three times the band
played through the song, and more people began to
sing. I turned and looked over at the bleachers. The
old man bowed his head, looked down at the boy,
and cried.
I never knew what made that man stand up and
salute. Even after being mocked by many in the
crowd, he still stood. Some experience in his life had
left its mark on him. He passed this message to all
those in the crowd who had jeered and insulted him
that day: Be thankful you live in this land of plenty,
and be thankful you are an American.
When the band stopped playing, the cheering and
clapping continued for a very long time.
27
28
fab fiction
Icebound Intolerance
By Catherine Mahony
FSJ Correspondent
Jasper ran through the park, hopelessly trying to catch his breath.
He could hear the men close behind him. Thoughts began racing
through his mind, of his boyfriend and the magical anniversary they
spent together last night in Central Park – the horse and carriage
ride, long-stemmed roses, and the proposal.
Then his mind switched gears to the lecture he received from his
father the day he came out.
“Son, I love you and I accept you as you are, but the world is cruel
and you will be hurt. People are ignorant and they do not want to accept anyone who does not believe, worship or love like they do.”
“Dad, I know you are just trying to protect me, but things have
changed in the world and people are more understanding.”
Jasper was jolted back to the situation by the angry shouts of his
pursuers.
“Come back here, you fucking faggot! We're going to kill you!”
The wind slammed against Jasper’s face like a harsh reality he was
trying to avoid, the bitter gusts now piercing his false sense of security. The freshly fallen snow blanketed the ground and the fragile
tree limbs were beginning to crack beneath the unforgiving weight of
the pure white flakes, sticking together and overtaking the vulnerable twigs.
Winter was always Jasper’s favorite season. It was the time of year
when everything went to sleep and was somehow reborn, even more
beautiful than before, only a few short months later. Time stands still
in a way, as the earth rejuvenates itself through a symbolic death.
As Jasper approached the mouth of the frozen lake, he picked up a
nearby stick and jabbed at the ice. With no time to waste, he went on
faith and began to slide his way onto the lake. With every precarious
step, he prayed.
The men finally reached the edge of the lake. Seeing Jasper's situation, they started picking up heavy rocks from the bank and thrusting them onto the protective layer of ice.
“Hey, Queer Boy, where’s your wife now?”
Jasper did not want to believe that his father was right. He had
more hope in the human race. He heard the faint crackling; a jagged
line slowly crept towards him as an eruption of hate-filled laughter
penetrated his naivete.
As beads of sweat gathered in the folds of Jasper’s terrified expression, his fear was palpable and this scent released by the trembling
boy aroused the sadistic men, who were teetering on the edge of the
frozen river bank, drunk with power.
Glimpses of Jasper's short life flash before his eyes: holding his
mother’s hand on her death bed as she whispered, “Never be afraid
to show the world who you really are;” sixth grade gym class, cowering in the shower room, hiding from the bullies who relentlessly
taunted him for being different; his first kiss with Amy Switzer (the
girl he pretended to like so he wouldn’t get beat up in the courtyard
anymore for staring at Joey Miller); and then his first true love, Liam
Walsh. Jasper met Liam during senior year in High School and the
attraction was instantaneous. Now, three years later, Liam had proposed—on the same day that Same-sex marriage was legalized in
New York state.
Troy, a towering man at 6 feet 7 inches, was the leader of the ruthless pack. Troy did not know Jasper before seeing him at the bar on
the Upper West Side. Troy and his buddies witnessed Jasper and
Liam kissing in the crowded bar, and just this act alone infuriated
and repulsed him beyond comprehension. Troy was a devout Christian, a member of an infamous motorcycle club and tattooed from
head to toe. He was feared and also respected in his tight knit group.
His father was a pastor at St. Luke’s and his sermons always revolved around unconditional love, acceptance and tolerance. Troy
was raised in a good home and he was taught to respect others and
not to condemn anyone because of their race, color, creed or sexual
orientation. He had been taught to judge people on their character
but somewhere along the way, amidst social pressures and other
varying factors, he rebelled against his true Christian upbringing
and was filled with hate and ignorance.
So, there he stood, boiling over with rage, staring at Jasper as he
began pleading for his life. The ice cracking beneath Jasper’s frail
body began to map out an invisible roadway between Troy, his gang
and the helpless boy. Each thin line like a chord connecting these
human beings together, a chord that is usually unseen and merely
exist in the minds of people who live their lives with separate values
and belief systems. It is a thread that most seem to ignore in order to
carry on in ignorance and blindly follow a written word—never realizing that these words, these seemingly harmless words—can kill if
they are used as ammunition with malicious intent.
Jasper looked straight at Troy and screamed, “Why do you hate
me? You don’t even know me!”
It seemed as if these words were yelled into a barren cave, having
no effect whatsoever on Troy, who was determined to carry out his
plan. He looked as if he was on auto pilot, acting on his unfounded
hatred and tormenting a boy he didn’t even know just because he
was gay. Jasper, realizing he was wasting his breath, closed his eyes
and tried to prepare for what he knew was coming.
Troy picked up a large branch from the ice-covered ground and
raised it high over his head, bringing it down with vengeance, pulverizing the already fragile ice. over and over he smashed the surface, until the stagnant air was filled with Jasper's piercing screams
as the frigid water cut into the boys flesh like a thousand sharp daggers. The men stood there, watching, as Jasper took one desperate,
final gasp and succumbed to his watery grave.
Author's Note: All too often, human beings separate themselves
by their differences. People are judged by their innate characteristics,
things they could not change even if they wanted too. Icy daggers
come in many forms: discriminatory words, bigoted slurs, hate-filled
comments via social media and even hurtful remarks from loved
ones and family members who lack understanding. If society would
just begin to realize that we are all connected by the same thread and
created from the same divinity, maybe people could see each other
as humans and not just stereotypes. In this New Year, my hope is for
more tolerance and understanding.
i am a
29
racc raven
Tyree Fleming
By Erica Via
Student
Tyree Fleming, Reading, is a talented musician, rapper, and song writer, currently enrolled at RACC to pursue a degree as a
science transfer. Fleming eventually plans to
further his goals by attending a four year
university to become an engineer. He is extremely influenced by music and musicians
as well as his college professors. He feels as
though they have all played an important
part in furthering his academic career.
Fleming has been through some extremely
rough patches in his life and has taken it
upon himself to better himself in all ways.
“I don’t want to die without living,“ he
said. “Soul searching will help you find your
path to understanding what you are supposed to do and allow you to be free.”
Tyree, at one point, was incarcerated and
feels as though that experience allowed him
About Tyree
• Hometown: Newark, N.J.
• Major: Science Transfer
• Plans after RACC: Transfer to a four
year university to pursue a degree in
engineering.
• Favorite Quote: “The world is yours.”
– Nas
the time he needed to do just that, and now
makes decisions which will further him in
life.
He now wishes to make all of his dreams
and goals into realities as he is living proof
that you should never judge someone based
on past mistakes. He is living in the now and
looking forward to his future, both as an engineer and in the music business.
the club hub
Multicultural/
International Club
Front Street Journal
open Positions:
• Photographers: Take pictures of campus events and submit
• General meetings in spring semester will be held the second
and fourth Fridays at 1:00 in the Ravens Perch (Z110). Please
see our bulletin board in Berks Hall for updates.
• In recognition of Black History month, the M/I club will visit
the Central Pennsylvania African American Museum in Reading on February 21. We will meet there at 1:00. Admission is $4
and the campus is invited and encouraged to join us!
• New members are always welcome. Contact Carlos Hernandez
([email protected]) or Dawn Gieringer
([email protected]), or come to a general meeting if interested.
• Volunteers from outside the club are needed to help with the
International Festival, which will be held on Wednesday,
March 26 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Special meetings to plan the International Festival will be held; if interested in helping out,
contact Dawn Gieringer for the dates and times of these planning meetings. Volunteers from outside the club are strongly
encouraged to participate.
them for publication prior to deadline. All pictures will be
credited to you.
• Writers/Reporters: Write articles on various topics. Also attend campus events and write about them.
open officer Positions:
• Secretary: Attends meetings and records minutes, submits
room reservations, and handles correspondence. Assists with
other club initiatives.
• Associate Business Manager: Assists the Business Manager
with maintaining FSJ's financial account, generating ad revenue, contacting advertisers, insertion orders, and invoices.All
positions require a minimum 2.0 GPA. All officer positions except the Associate Business Manager are also Staff Writers.
• Contact Dawn Heinbach for more information at [email protected].
30
teacher Spotlight
“I chose Anthropology as a career because I followed my interests. I studied ethnoaesthetics and culture, linguistic anthropology, folklore, and women's studies
into graduate school and beyond.”
Shattering expectations
Story and photos by Dawn Heinbach
FSJ Staff Writer
Rigid.
Lecture class.
Structured.
Identical.
These adjectives are not usually heard when describing Dr.
Pamela A. R. Blakely or the courses she teaches. Without a doubt,
she is the most polarizing professor at RACC. Students either love
her classes or hate them, just as they either love her style or think
that her academic demands are totally unrealistic. But wherever
such extremes are found, a deeper examination usually reveals
something that goes beyond the norm.
And Blakely is just that: beyond the range of the norm. Students
who recognize this benefit the most from her non-conventional
teaching style.
Most RACC students first encounter Dr. Blakely when they take
Introduction to Cultural Anthropology as an elective. Many are dismayed when they realize that the syllabus is not strictly followed
and that each class brings new and unexpected opportunities for
learning. They watch many movies about world cultures. They
write reaction papers about cultural films. They complain when
they must present these reaction papers, along with their answers to
questions from each textbook chapter, in a bound notebook at the
end of the semester. But in addition to the material, they are also
learning how to organize and prepare material in a professional and
academic way. Some are even eventually grateful when they realize
the abundance of knowledge afforded them through Blakely's
classes and presence.
Dr. Blakely's path to RACC has been as extraordinary as the route
of some of her students. As a teenager, she attended a no-grade high
school in Newton, Massachusetts. The concept of no grades is so
alien that many people have difficulty understanding the purpose.
But Blakely uses this same concept—that grades are not the only
measure of how well a student is learning—in her own classes.
She often refrains from giving tests in her advanced classes. Instead, students are asked to submit papers of varying lengths on
what they have read, or on a specific topic covered in class, and/or
speak to the class about their research.
In our system, of course, grades must be assigned in order to receive credit, but that doesn't cramp Blakely's teaching methods.
Rather than focusing on covering a certain amount of material and
discouraging in-depth discussions, her classes thrive on students
sharing their interpretations and comparisons of films and ideas.
often, she becomes as animated as the students because she realizes
Dr. Pamela Blakely relaxed in the classroom.
31
expectations
out of the norm: Dr. Blakely sits cross-legged on her desk
while talking to students in Intercultural Communication,
an Honors class.
About Dr. Blakely
• Subjects taught: Anthropology and Sociology, Honors
courses
• Degrees: Bachelor of Arts, Harvard University, Cambridge,
Mass.; Master of Arts and Doctorate, Indiana University,
Bloomington, Ind.
• Favorite quotes: “If you want to be a champion, you cannot
do what everyone else does.” “Haba na haba hiyaza
kibaba.” – Kiswahili for “Little by little fills the measure.”
• Favorite music: Medieval and Celtic
• When I'm not teaching, you can find me: at home or watching my daughters compete in tennis tournaments in PA and
other states.
• The last really daring thing I did was: drive a truck in New
York City. Before that, traveling alone at night in the middle of Central Africa
by their questions that they are absorbing the material.
“Good question.”
“Excellent!”
“This is great!” is what her students hear as feedback.
And always, by the end of the course, the required material is
completed.
Blakely married her husband, Thomas, at the end of her sophomore year at Harvard. She took the following year off from Harvard
and attended Northwestern University in Chicago, in part because
her new husband was doing graduate work there. She took advantage of this time by studying things that were unique to Northwestern, such as Chicago architecture.
She also met Dr. Frank Willett, one of the leading experts in
African Art. This paved the way for Blakely to begin studying
African expressive culture.
Her first-ever teaching experience was also at Northwestern.
Through a specific program offered by the school, she was approved
to teach, and during the third quarter, she taught a course in Romanesque and Gothic Architecture.
She reapplied to Harvard for her senior year, presented her portfolio of the work she had completed while at Northwestern, and
they accepted her application for Senior status. She graduated cum
laude in 1973.
Blakely started her graduate work at Indiana University. After a
year and half, she went to Africa's Democratic Republic of Congo—
then Zaire—to complete her field work and Master's Thesis studying the Báhêmbá people. Her advisor warned her that the work
load to complete her Thesis through this fieldwork would be similar
to completing two Ph.D.'s. He was right. But Blakely persevered,
earning her Master's Degree in 1978.
She then taught for one semester at the University of South Carolina while applying for grants to complete her post-graduate work.
She spent the next several years traveling back and forth to Africa
doing research for her dissertation.
Both Blakely and her husband (now Dr. Thomas Blakely, a professor at Pennsylvania State University, Berks Campus), lived in
Africa for a total of 6 years.
Blakely taught at Brigham Young University, Utah, for five years.
From 1988 to 1993, Blakely ran the Kiswahili language program at
the University of Pennsylvania, as well as teaching the first to third
years of the language. They were living in a dormitory apartment
through the University's Faculty Fellow program, which paid for all
living expenses; however, this program was not intended to be permanent. The Blakelys, now parents of three children, were looking
for a larger house as well as a place in which to settle.
At an anthropological conference in San Francisco, Blakely met a
former colleague from Brigham Young, Larry Stucki. He was then a
professor at RACC, and told her about an open teaching position.
She applied, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Besides learning new skills for a specific career, college is also
about learning to think critically. Exposure to new ideas, new people, and new experiences broadens a student's mind and horizons.
Dr. Blakely's life and teaching style epitomizes a teacher's ultimate
purpose: to generate in her students a love of learning, motivation
for the rewards of diligent academic work, and the ability to examine each bit of information critically and with new eyes.
Through Dr. Blakely's influence, a student's perception of the
world is forever changed, elevated to a unique, life-altering, multidimensional view.
32
Just for you
a celebration of success
By Elizabeth Sweigart
FSJ Staff Writer
Babe Ruth once said, “The way a team
plays as a whole determines its success. You
may have the greatest bunch of individual
stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime.”
There is a vast and wonderful array of students, staff and faculty who are located
across the street from RACC's main campus:
Career Programs in the Gateway Building,
directed by Sue Costa. Students there go
through vigorous six-week modules that
make some of our full time schedules look
like a cake walk. Technical Training takes
place at the Schmidt Technology Center and
GED preparation is completed in Schuylkill
Hall. The students of these programs work
extremely hard to achieve not only the certificates, but also the growth they need to
take them to the next step in their collegiate
career, or obtain a job that will sustain their
future.
The person whose thread runs through all
of this is the driven and dedicated Suzanne
Christie. Babe Ruth’s words were never
truer than october 25, when Christie's
team—comprised of staff, volunteers, and
businesses—created a beautiful and informative conference, aptly named “Just For You.”
The conference this year was a flawlessly-orchestrated event, a gift to the students who
have completed various programs.
The day was dedicated to RACC Foundation Member Mary Ann Chelius-Smith, who
played a prominent role in the founding of
RACC. The college we know today is a testament to her enthusiasm and drive. She
helped ensure that so many of the scholarships and programs that help students—traditional and nontraditional—succeed.
Chelius-Smith simultaneously had a very
successful career at Boscov’s. Albert Boscov
himself would be in agreement that CheliusSmith was an amazing person. She sacrificed
aspirations of pursuing a political career to
help make sure there was a Reading Area
Community College.
Boscov’s catered a continental breakfast
and lunch for those involved. The food was
delicious and the ambiance, elegant.
ToP: Suzanne
Christie, left, and
Nancy Snyder paying tribute to Mary
Ann Chelius-Smith.
LEFT: opening remarks by Reading
Area Community
College President,
Dr. Anna Weitz
Photos courtesy of
Kimberly Mayfield.
33
ABoVE: Joe Davis, featured in the book
“Everyday Heroes”
LEFT: A veritable feast, provided by Boscov's
Catering
celebration
The students were greeted by harpist Linda Ulmstead. The welcome was given by Suzanne Christie and Foundation member Nancy
Snyder. opening remarks were by Dr. Anna Weitz, President of
Reading Area Community College.
Beth Johnson, author of “Everyday Heroes,” was in attendance
with one of the heroes: Joe Davis. Anyone who has taken advantage
of the Townsend Press reading program with Donald Bertram in
Yocum Library has probably seen this book. Davis's story is compelling. He became a paraplegic after being shot in 1981, and battled
drug addiction for twenty five years. He has been in recovery since
an unsuccessful suicide attempt in 1988 changed his world. Davis attended the Community College of Philadelphia, receiving an Associate Degree in Applied Science, then a Bachelor’s degree in Mental
Health from Hahnemann University. He went on to earn a Master’s
degree in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. Now,
Davis works to end violence in Philadelphia, and he is also involved
in literacy programs. Not too bad for a kid whom people called a
“nobody.”
Sandy Graffius, Berks County Controller, engaged the entire room
in laughter with her story of “Surviving the Bumps in the Road.”
Sharon Mast presented “The Road to Success is Never a Straight
Line.” Mast is a Certified Facilitator, Trainer and Coach for “People
Under Construction.” During lunch, some of the students participated in a fashion show with outfits given to them by Re-Style Boutique. To see people transform from a feeling of hopelessness or
unemployment to walking down the aisle, confident and poised, is
miraculous.
Reading High School String Ensemble, under the direction of Brad
Richards, played music for the group. As the students were eating,
the huge room was transformed into four quadrants, which they
then rotated through in 30-minute increments.
“Interviews for All” was conducted by Human Resource Directors,
Reading Berks Chamber of Commerce, under the direction of Karen
Marsdale, Zylkia Rivera and Auria Bradley.
“Looking Good, Feeling Great” was presented by Hair on the Avenue. Deb Meas and staff demonstrated how to create a professional
look and gave $20 coupons to those who completed all four stations.
Berks Massage Works gave mini massages to reduce stress in
“Taking Time For Yourself,” and Sue Costa shared self-affirming
breathing techniques aptly named “Stress Relieving Exercises.”
“Dressing for Success and Acing the Interview” was presented by
Laurie Miller and RACC’s Human Resources Director, Scott Heffelfinger. There were mock interviews and advice on how to land
that job.
Georgene Zielinski raffled off the beautiful items for the Silent
Auction. Evaluations were done and gift bags given to the students.
After the students had gone, all that remained was the mess to be
cleaned – evidence of what is possible when people combine their efforts to help and give back to the school and the people who attend
it.
Suzanne Christie's ability to create a special atmosphere is amazing. She and her colleagues, along with the local businesses who
generously donated gifts and time, gave the students a fabulous day
that they will remember fondly.
34
CPAAM President Mildred Gilyard and Kora player Salieu Suso
conductors of freedom
local church part of african american history
By Elizabeth Sweigart
FSJ Staff Writer
“From the Slave Ship to the Space Ship.” Those were words Mildred Gilyard's late husband, Frank Gilyard, Sr., said on more than
one occasion. Gilyard is keeping her late husband’s dream and
legacy alive at the Central Pennsylvania African American Museum
(CPAAM) located at The old Bethel African Methodist Episcopal
Church, Reading. This is no small feat considering it is just her and
her son as staff. She relies on volunteers to help maintain the museum and the dream. There is also a Board of Directors and board
members as well as a Capital Campaign Committee.
Gilyard, Sr. founded CPAAM in 1998. He had so many records of
what happened over 170 years ago that he had to share them. He
started with just a few boxes, validated them and began the task of
assembling what we see standing now: a tribute to a portion of the
Underground Railroad.
The idea of helping slaves from the South escape to freedom came
from Levi Coffin in Columbia, Penn, in 1804. Coffin was a Quaker
Abolitionist; he devised railroad terms to throw off the “slave catchers.” Today we would call them bounty hunters. A “Conductor” was
someone who helped lead the “Passengers” (fugitives) to freedom;
the “Terminal” was somewhere in the northern United States or
Canada. The Underground Railroad was arguably the first real freedom movement in the United States.
Gilyard, Sr. collected court records and documents for 30 years.
He had countless artifacts representing local history and 177 years of
what could be simply termed: TRUTH. He traveled to Africa a few
times to validate some of the items.
“Frank wanted to tell the story of the African American community in Reading so that history is not repeated,” Gilyard said.
He would often say, “From the Slave Ship to the Space Ship,”
meaning that this country has gone as far as having an African
American astronaut. of course, we have now progressed quite a bit
farther: all the way to electing an African American President.
The Gilyards are a strong family. Together, Mildred and Frank
had five children. Today there are 18 grandchildren and ten great
grandchildren. They still have large family gatherings and everyone
comes together to celebrate at the holidays.
“Frank loved having everyone together,” she said.
The Gilyard's son, Van, helps manage the museum and has a
wealth of knowledge about Reading’s rich history. Gilyard said that
they are obligated to carry this through and she enjoys it. She has received numerous awards on behalf of her late husband.
“The City Council of Reading officially recognized him and he
never missed a meeting,” she said.
Also bestowed on Gilyard, Sr. are the William F. Richardson
Award from the Berks Community Action Program, Certificate of
Recognition from the Reading School District, and the African Global
Super Center Award. But it becomes apparent while speaking to this
articulate woman that this endeavor has nothing to do with awards –
it is to keep the truth alive.
It is not surprising to learn that Albert Boscov, Ron Bacon of the
Reading Public Museum, and others who helped develop Reading
35
conductors
are advisors of CPAAM. These people helped
Gilyard with his vision to see that history is told
truthfully. CPAMM has received a $3 million
grant to help complete the project started so
many years ago. There are plans to acquire the
adjacent buildings up to 109 N. 10th Street, because those dwellings are also part of the history.
It is almost overwhelming to fully appreciate the
magnitude of this expansion project.
Becoming a member of the museum aids the
expansion. Gilyard is always in need of volunteers and welcomes them with open arms.
In addition to seeing the artifacts and physically experiencing where these brave passengers
hid on their way to freedom, the museum offers
the Underground Railroad Bus Tour in September. Passengers are transported back in time,
passing through Reading, Sinking Spring, West
Lawn, and Wyomissing, coming face to face with
our country's dark history. Men, women, and
children hid for their lives in this area, in this
city, in this building; we would be wise not to
forget this.
People can make a difference. Those “Conductors” who helped the Passengers to the Terminal
were trail blazers simply doing the right thing.
Gilyard and her family will be attending an
Awards Breakfast on February 15 at the Abraham Lincoln Hotel. If Reading’s history is written
correctly, the Gilyards will certainly have earned
a place of distinction.
ABoVE: Central Pennsylvania African
American Museum
BELoW: The late Frank Gilyard
Photos courtesy of Mildred and Van
Gilyard
If you go
Address:
old Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church
119 N. 10th St.
Reading, PA 19601
Telephone: 610- 371-8713
Hours:
Wednesday & Friday: 10:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m.
Saturday: 1 – 4 p.m.
All other days by appointment only.
Admission:
Adults: $4
Children ages 5 – 12: $2
Senior Citizens: $3
Group rates available
Website: www.cpaam.net
is it time to delete your facebook account?
By Zach Bender
Student
Remember Myspace? How about Friendster or AoL Instant Messenger?
Those websites that have outlived their
usefulness are now consigned to being
stored in the dusty attic of Internet days
gone by. Social networkers have historically
shown no hesitance to pack up and move on
when something better comes along. Why
then is Facebook, a website that has dominated the social media landscape for nearly
five years, still sitting at the top of the industry? According to recent studies, that dominance is quickly slipping away.
In october, Facebook’s chief financial officer conceded that the website was seeing a
large decrease in daily users, especially in
young teens. This decrease in the youth demographic should be incredibly worrisome
to Facebook, as it signals a generational gap
between its users and threatens its popular
relevance. A study by the University of
Michigan this past summer also reported
startling statistics on the psychological effects of Facebook use: According to the research, the results showed that increased
Facebook use led to feelings of isolation,
loneliness, and overall dissatisfaction with
life. This may be explained by the lack of intimate communication that the website seeks
to replace, or the idea that subliminally,
users compare themselves to others and then
feel unhappy with their own lives. The Facebook profile is not an accurate representation
of a person’s life – only the happy moments
and (often retouched) pictures are usually
shared. This leads to a skewed reality for the
users that log onto Facebook the most.
It’s not just demographic and psychological issues troubling Facebook. Privacy concerns and issues with spying and data
collection is a constant problem for Facebook
users. In 2011, Julian Assange claimed that
Facebook is “the most appalling spying machine that has ever been invented.” Revela-
tions over government data collection since
then have given his statement even more
credibility. Since the outbreak of the NSA
Prism scandal, reports have shown that
Facebook has been compliant, if not eager, to
share data with the government. The Daily
Caller published a report this year that revealed Facebook even collects data on its
users while logged out, mapping what websites are visited through the use of cookies,
which are then used to determine what ads
are shown to you. Increasing space to advertisers since the company’s IPo, including the
use of intrusive video ads, has been major
annoyance for users.
Facebook’s only major competitors at the
moment are Twitter and Google+, which has
been embroiled in its own controversies recently with forced YouTube integration. Despite the competition, Facebook’s waning
success and attraction may lead it to quickly
join its predecessor Myspace in the distant
memory of the Internet.
36
academic sweat and tears
Earn more than a grade
By Rachel Lee
FSJ Correspondent
It’s that time of year!
No, it is no longer the holiday season. New Year’s has passed. Finals are long over. And Scholarship season is a few months away. So
what time of year is it now?
SUBMISSIoN SEASoN!
’Tis the season to take all those papers, poems, and presentations
you sweated over, fretted over, lost sleep over, nearly died making,
and almost shredded to pieces—take them, make a few corrections
to them, and submit them.
“Submit where?” you ask?
EVERYWHERE!
February to March is the time of year when various academic forums, competitions, journals and symposiums are vying for your
work. They distribute brochures, email your professors, and search
for students just like you to submit your completed work in order to
be recognized. Some of these outlets even give cash prizes—yes, I
said money—for the “best” in certain categories. one such forum is
the Beacon Conference for Two-Year Colleges.
The Beacon Conference is an academic competition in which you
submit a paper (approximately eight to twenty pages in length) with
the aid of a faculty advisor. The paper is then reviewed and scored
by several judges in categories such as creativity, paper structure,
and grammar. Your paper’s score is then compared to others in a
similar subject “category.” If it is ranked as one of the top three papers in its subject category, you then are invited to deliver your
paper in a 20-minute presentation at the annual conference. During
the presentations, a judge is somewhere in the crowd, giving each of
the three presenters in your category a score. The person with the
highest combined paper, originality, and presentation score is then
awarded one hundred dollars, as is the faculty advisor!
Even if your paper is not chosen for presentation, you can also be
invited to display your work in a poster or display format so that
others attending the conference can learn about what you researched.
Last year, I presented at the Beacon Conference along with two
fellow RACC students, Cherylann McGuire and Jillian Hyde. Another student, Mildred Gilyard, received the opportunity to display
her paper in a poster format while the judges were calculating the
scores. While at Beacon, we met other two-year community college
students from all over Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Delaware, and New York. one of us even won in our division and
went home with the one-hundred-dollar prize!
If Beacon does not sound like your thing, or you do not get selected to attend, there is a similar forum specifically for the five Berks
County Colleges: Alvernia University, Albright College, Kutztown
University, Penn State Berks, and Reading Area Community College.
The Higher Education Council of Berks County Conference , or
HECBC, annually invites students to present ANY type of work they
have created over the past year. This work falls into one of two categories: research or creativity. While the research category typically
includes either Power Point presentations or poster displays, the cre-
Have you submitted yet?
Beacon Conference for Two-Year Students
• What: Paper Submission (maximum 5,000 words) and Possible
Presentation or Poster Session
• Deadline: February 17, 2014
• More Information:
• Dr. Donna Singleton, Yocum 115
Telephone extension: 5096
Email: [email protected]
Fliers in wall display outside Y117
http://beaconconference.org
• Conference Date & Location:
June 6, 2014, 8:30 a.m. State University of New York - Ulster
• Higher Education Council of Berks County (HECBC) Conference for Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression
• What: Paper Submissions, Artistic Submissions, Poster Submissions
• Deadline: End of February/ Early March (exact date TBA)
• More Information:
• Professor Chris Costello, Berks Hall 601
Telephone extension: 5088
Email: [email protected]
• Conference Date & Location:
April 26, 2013 Reading Area Community College
ative category includes paintings, drawings, web design paper,
dance performances, vocal/song performances, and any other type
of art—the sky is the limit!
So why is it important to participate in the HECBC and other forums like it? Besides the obvious answer that it looks good on transfer and employment applications, Professor Christopher Costello,
organizer of this year’s HECBC Conference, cited payoffs such as
gaining confidence, refining public speaking skills, deepening
knowledge of one’s subject, improving critical thinking skills, and increasing creativity.
“The economy is tight right now,” Costello said. “While going to
college is an important first step to getting a good job—or any job at
all—there are a LoT of people out there with a college degree. Seizing opportunities like HECBC proves that you have not only studied
a subject, but that you also have the skills needed for your job. THAT
is going to be more profitable than any GPA you could obtain.”
With so many benefits and the work already half-done, why not
give it a shot?
If you are interested in participating in Beacon, HECBC, or anything like it, start by contacting RACC’s representative for the conference. You can also ask for guidance from one of your professors,
even if you did not write the paper or create the performance for
their class. Most Professors have experience with conferences and
can offer plenty of insight. They might even know of other venues in
which to present your hard work!
So what are you waiting for? It’s Submission Season!

January/February 2014 - Reading Area Community College

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