El Paisano, Volume XXXII, No. 7

Big split
Page 5
Express
CWC deadline
The deadline for the 30th Annual
Creative Writing Contest at MC is 5
p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 15. The categories are short story, essay and
poetry. Contestants may submit a
maximum of four entries in each category.
Any full-time or part-time student
registered in English classes at MC
at any time since Sept. 1, 2003, is
eligible to compete. Exception: any
past first-place winner is eligible
only in a category in which that student has not won previously.
Format requirements are strict and
can be obtained in the Writing Lab,
232 LRC, 685-4561.
Steak dinner raises
funds for welders
Phantom hits
big screen
Page 8
Page 5
El Paisano
Volume XXXII, No. 7
The Student Newspaper of Midland College
JobTrack
takes off
Student volunteers
needed in Bosnia
The Builders for Peace program in
Bosnia is seeking college students
to do a month of volunteer work in
Bosnia this summer.
Dates: June 7—11: Orientation
in Sarajevo— visit historic sites and
meet with community leaders and
scholars. Morning lectures on the
language and culture. Leave for
Gracanica or Mostar on June 12.
June 13 - July 8: Teach three levels of conversational English in
Gracanica (northeast Bosnia) in a
free summer school program for
high school students. Edit our daily
newspaper. Run a workshop on
Youth Issues. No experience is necessary for any of these jobs.
Afternoon classes for college
credit may also be available. Or, volunteers may take part with Mostar
university students in a seminar on
“Reconciliation and Reconstruction”
in the divided city of Mostar.
Also, volunteers may perform
reconstruction in Mostar, rebuilding
historic sites damaged during the
war.
In addition to the above, visit various cultural sites, including the Sufi
monastery at Blagaj, the medieval
castle at Srebrenik, the neolitic site
at Korica Han and the memorial site
of the massacre at Srebrenica, where
we will place a wreath as we have
done in previous years.
Optional. Spend an extra week at
the end of the program in the beautiful walled town of Dubrovnik on the
Adriatic Sea. Experience the melding of Italian and Slavic cultures on
the coast.
Housing. In Gracanica, students
will live in a local inn or with local
families. In Mostar, they will share
one or two houses.
For further information please
contact: Professor Thomas Butler [email protected], telephone 617- 661-5914.
SIP offers ‘Lips’
The Students in Philanthropy Club
fabulous “Sweet Lips” lollipops
spring fund-raiser is now underway
... Valentine’s Day is just around the
corner, and your “Sweeties” will
love these scrumptious lollipops.
They come in an assortment of flavors. The lollipops are only $1each
and all money raised will go directly
to funding deserving nonprofit
organizations during the SIP grantmaking activities this spring. To get
your “Sweet Lips,” watch for the
smiling SIP students carrying a bag
full of lollipops or you may call
Laura Walker at 685-4816.
Managing test anxiety
A “Managing Test Anxiety”
workshop is scheduled at noon,
Monday, Feb. 14 in the Roadrunner
Room, Scharbauer Student Center.
The workshop is offered by Dale
Williams, MC counselor. Students
are encouraged to attend the free
workshop which will cover different
strategies for handling test anxiety.
For more information, contact
Williams at 685-5598.
Study Skills
Dates for the spring Study Skills
Seminars have been set. The first
seminars are 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.,
Wednesday, Feb. 9 and 1 – 3 p.m.,
Thursday, Feb. 10.
Seminars are free and are held in
the Roadrunner Room, Scharbauer
Student Center. For more information, contact Sue Alford, 685-5525.
February 4, 2005
Better late than never, winter finally hits Midland.
Photo by Randy Rodriguez
Cosmotology program here to provide options
By Emily Green
“Students can expect to learn all the instruction can be used outside of cosStaff Reporter
information required to pass their metology.
The former automotive and build- state board test plus more,” Fields
“They are learning chemical reforing technology area in the Technical said. “We also have an advisory board mation, basic massage, working with
Building now houses the cosmetology that will come in and teach advanced the public, personal care, and profesprogram that began this spring at techniques so that when students com- sional attitude,” he said.
Midland College.
“These skills can be used
The program has been a work in
outside the cosmetology field if
progress, according to Michael
students decide to concentrate
Fields, cosmetology instructor.
on another profession,” Fields
“Beverly Prichard, cosmetology
said. “They can work for movie
program coordinator, started planstudios, television stations and
ning for the program in 2001,”
plastic surgeons. The career
Fields said.
opportunities are endless.”
The goal of the cosmetology proThe courses offered during
gram is to “help students receive
the spring semester are fundatheir hours for their cosmetology
mentals of cosmetology, introPhoto by Randy Rodriguez duction to the application of
license,” Fields said. “They will earn
a certificate from MC and then go Students will practice cosmotology a renovat- hair coloring, chemical refored area of the Technology Center.
take their state board test.
mation and manicuring.
“Students are also offered the plete the program they will have trainClasses meet Monday thru Friday 8
chance to earn an associate’s degree,” ing in more then just the basics to pass a.m.-5 p.m. The program lasts three
Fields said. “After a student com- their test.
semesters: spring, summer and fall.
pletes the cosmetology program they
“Specialists from local salons and The cost is MC tuition, plus a fee for
must complete their core courses to guest artists will come in,” Fields the book and kit.
earn their associate’s degree.”
said. “The students will get special
“The price is a third compared to
“So far, we have 11 students training by people specializing in other schools,” Fields said.
enrolled in the program, but we have color, nail tech, make-up and facials.”
Those interested in the cosmetology
room for 25,” Fields said.
Fields said he thinks the course program can contact (432) 685-6723.
Massage students work toward state licensure
By Rael Henson
have ranged from 17 to 70 years old. other supplies.
Staff Reporter
The program attracts students from as
With 300 clock hours required by
Midland College massage therapy far away as Crane, Pecos, Big Spring, the state, 50 of which are the clinicals,
students experienced the real work Coahoma and Lamesa.
it takes about three or four months to
world as they conducted clinical sescomplete the course, according to
sions at the Advanced Technology
Prichard.
Center on Cuthbert for the last two
Some of the required classes are
weekends.
health and hygiene, Swedish masThe students were able to practice
sage techniques, business practice
their skills by providing free masand ethics, anatomy and physiology.
sages to MC staff, faculty and fellow
After finishing the program, the stustudents.
dents must apply to the state to take
“It’s really kind of their first proa written test and a skills exam in
fessional way of working with peoAustin.
ple from outside,” said Beverly
They receive a temporary permit
Prichard, director of health sciences
which allows them to charge for
continuing education. “This is their
massages, but they must take the
first time to be able to work with
exam within six months or re-apply
people who are unknown to them.”
Photo by Randy Rodriguez to test. MC tries to schedule the
“It’s done very professionally,” Massage students earn credit by provid- course so that it ends near the exam
Prichard said. “It’s really a nice ing free massages to faculty and staff.
date.
opportunity if you’ve never gotten a
This allows everything to be fresh
massage. You’re helping a student
One 72-year-old woman wanted to for the students, explained Prichard,
with their skills, because you critique do massage on her family, but she also though they also help students by
that student.
saw it as a way for her to achieve a doing refresher courses.
“It really helps them and prepares success.
The class meets on Tuesdays and
them for going out in the real world,”
Physically handicapped students Thursdays from 6 to 9:30 p.m. and
Prichard said
have taken it as a way to make some every other weekend from 8 a.m. to 6
The Massage Therapy program, money and, according to Prichard, p.m.
enrolls an average of 24 students a they may have been some of the better
“You have to be pretty dedicated,”
year and has recorded about 200 stu- students.
Prichard said.
dent graduates so far.
It’s one of the more expensive
Even with all the time and effort
Once they receive their certifica- classes, with a tuition of $1084 which involved, no one has ever dropped.
tion, students can work in their own pays the instructors, who are massage
“[The class] is done very profespractices or for larger companies such therapists in business for themselves. sionally so no one feels discomfort or
as spas, hotels, chiropractors, gyms,
The students are also encouraged to stressed.” Prichard said. “ We treat it
sports teams, large corporations or purchase a massage table that will fit very professionally.”
even cruise ships.
their needs, since they take it with
The program recently gained two
Some students taking the program them after completing the course.
new instructors, Melinda Smith and
have been blind or in wheelchairs and
There is also the cost of books and Cindy Dodson.
By Randy Rodriguez
Page Editor
Midland College has implemented
a new method for people of the community to obtain “real world” skills in
a classroom setting—JobTrack.
The purpose of this program is to
let experienced workers –with quality
educations—enter the workforce and
fill the demands of the community by
filling those key positions in local
businesses.
This program will include Business
Systems Training and a Medical
Assisting Program to students who
are looking for “a quick way to
acquire job skills needed for the indemand jobs right now,” said Elise
Coombes, MC director of public relations.
The Business Systems Training
consists of a four-week certification
program to train students in computer
applications: Word, Excel, Access,
PowerPoint, E-Learning, business
writing skills, resume writing skills
and business etiquette. These programs will convene at the beginning
of each month.
“This course is an excellent opportunity for individuals who have not
had any experience working with
computers,” said Gary Hines, business systems instructor.
The Medical Assisting Program
will allow successful students to
acquire certificates in Phlebotomy,
Nurse Aid and Medical Assisting—
although, this program is still awaiting coordinating board approval. This
seven-month course trains students
for entry-level positions in the medical field.
There are no prerequisites for the
JobTrack classes. The purpose of
JobTrack is to permit students to get
the skills they need with a minimum
of hassle. Students are not required to
be a high school graduate, take placement testing such as the THEA, go
through the enrollment process or
even enroll for a full semester.
For some students, the idea of
enrolling in MC, taking the THEA
test, proving they are a high school
graduate and getting transcripts can
be an intimidating process. This
allows the students to enter this program with a modicum of difficulty,
Coombes said.
There will be some financial aid
available for students in the programs. It begins with filling-out a
Free Application For Federal
Students Aid (FAFSA) and it will
come back with a recommendation.
MC is also working with American
State Bank to get personal loans for
the cost of the program. Medical
Assisting students could qualify for
federal assistance, assuming the program meets certain criteria.
This will be the first time MC has
developed any type of financial aid
for non-credit students, according to
Coombes.
For those students who may not
qualify for financial aid, the cost of
enrolling in Business Systems
Training is $840. For the Medical
Assisting Program, the cost is expected to be in the area of $3500 to
$4000.
One of the main goals is to make
JobTrack more accessible to everyone by creating a “front door,”
Coombes said.
This would allow students interested in these programs a central location to sign-up for classes without
having to go through student services.
“That’s why we have this at the
ATC, so that a person looking for this
type of training has some place to
go,” Coombes said.
Commentary
Page 2
Editorial
Every vote counts
Tom Craddick, speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, recently
sent questionnaires to many households in Texas. This letter to his constituents was a reminder that the 79th Legislature would convene in the
Capitol to discuss issues that would affect citizens of Texas for two years.
This letter also asked that these same constituents respond to the 21 questions posed on issues ranging from the use of “red-light” cameras to school
vouchers to the proposition of a state income tax.
But it is not the question of nonpartisan elections that should concern
those involved in the democratic process, it is the questions that seem out of
place in the questionnaire that raise eyebrows.
Slipped between “Should Internet transactions be subject to sales tax” and
“Do you support legislator’s efforts to change the way public school is
financed” is a question that seems to be a hot-button issue with Democrats,
Republicans and everyone in between: “Do you favor the death penalty?”
This questionnaire has its deficiencies in several different aspects. The
obvious is the voting box anomaly that accompanies the questions. The
boxes do not match the questions; therefore this survey cannot be accurately studied. The more ambiguous deficiency is the subliminal method for the
speaker to obtain information about the voter’s feelings about some of the
more controversial issues of our day.
While it is true that the people should decide matters such as the death
penalty, abortion and tax increases on gasoline, magazines and gambling,
but the devious attempt to acquire this information through, what seems to
be, a harmless survey is a dirty pool by our elected officials.
True, our government is more of a Republic than a Democracy. We
appoint those who lead rather than govern ourselves, but our elected officials have to know what our stance is on the subjects important to everyone.
Whether you stand to the right or left of any of these issues being discussed in the 79th Legislative session, your opinion is valid from the standpoint that we are all citizens of Texas.
Craddick finishes his letter by saying “I look forward to hearing from
you.” Let your voice be heard and write a letter, send a fax, give the speaker a call or just make an appointment to speak with him in person. Because
the old adage stands true even today, “Your vote is the one that matters.”
Quo Vadimus
by Randy Rodriguez
Sometimes life just gets in the way. I
have heard this quoted to me since the
day I was able to understand the English
language.
Have crueler words ever been spoken
to a hapless child on the brink of insanity? It has been recently brought to my
attention that I have used my column to
exorcise some of my own personal
demons. Life certainly has its quirks
and chooses to exhibit them in a most
peculiar way.
I re-read my column about the government listening to my personal conversation on the telephone and the column about my disdain for Starbucks. I
discovered that I have allowed my own
personal feeling to interfere with the
purpose of my column—and that is to
bring to light an issue that concerns
everyone or an injustice in the world.
Hence, from this day forth, I will use
the space I am given to shed a new perspective into the world that surrounds
us all. The world that we see everyday
and take for granted, and the world we
do not see and still take for granted.
In the spirit of this pledge, I have an
issue that plagues each and every student on the Midland College campus.
This has been overlooked each time I
have passed it, so I am sure that it has
been overlooked in general as well. The
issue in question is: “where have all the
flowers gone?”
Stay with me. I am not an environmental fanatic obsessed with saving the
rainforest or calling for better
Environmental Protection Agency standards on emissions.
I am simply wondering where the
phrase “stop and smell the roses” came
from and why I must search-out these
said roses.
I understand that the phrase is an allegory for taking the time to reflect on
life’s bounty and to not get boggeddown with the inconsequential. But
who has the time for that anymore? In
the competitive get-to-the-top-by-any-
means-necessary world of today, how
can a reasonable person be asked to stop
and take inventory of what they have
accomplished?
This is not to say that there are not
people who can honestly say they have
never been saddled with a self-righteous nature and can enjoy the occasional stroll in the park.
But I am concerned with those who
have only so long to achieve their life
goals in order to have their country club
membership in by their 28th birthday.
I am also one of the maligned. I once
had aspirations of being “set” by the
time I was 27—although there are outside forces that prompted that date that
I will discuss at a more appropriate
time. I too was enticed by the comfort
and stability that accompanied a
$120,000 salary with fringe benefits.
But it has been my experience that
struggle is necessary in life in order to
obtain the answer to the question that
has been asked but never answered:
“Why are we here?”
I am in no way comparing myself to
the great thinkers such as Aristotle,
Socrates, Plato or Galileo, but I have
found the answer for myself.
We are here to maintain a cycle that
can never be broken. We all are parts of
a system that inevitably defines the
nature of our existence by our name.
This is a system that is based on the
infallible truth that life is meant to be
difficult, and there are no easy roads.
There is no path least traveled or ultimate goal set before us at birth. We are
the ones who must choose what our purpose is on Earth.
Why are we here? We are here to
spend our lives searching for that which
is most familiar to us all. Whether that
makes sense or is just the incoherent
ramblings of an underdeveloped mind
is for you to decide. But make that decision while searching for those unseen
roses. I have yet to find them—but I
know they are not at Starbucks.
El Paisano
The Student Newspaper of Midland College
Editorial Staff: Ashton Baker, Michael Flax, Tim Garlitz
Ruby Moore, Randy Rodriguez, Angie Wennerlind
Reporters:
Ryan Alexander
Joe Aylor
Bradley Bourke
Nikki Brooks
Raenell Diffie
Mona Garcia
Jessica Gonzales
Emily Green
Rael Henson
Lyn Johnson
Cory Lehman
John Paul Martin
Tonia Martindale
Jason Rhode
Kelley Ricker
Teressa Thompson
Photographers:
Mona Garcia
Jason Rhode
Randy Rodriguez
Cartoonist:
Tommy Simmons
Lab Instructor:
Karen Lanier
Adviser:
Bob Templeton
Comments and views expressed in
El Paisano reflect the thoughts of
individual writers and do not
necessarily reflect the beliefs or
opinions of other students, faculty
members, administrative officers
or the board of trustees.
El Paisano is a member
of the Texas Community College
Press Association and the Texas
Intercollegiate Press Association.
The publication and its
student staff members have won
numerous statewide awards.
MC Student Publications 3600 N. Garfield, AFA 185
Midland, Texas 79705 432-685-4768
email: [email protected]
February 4, 2005
Question Why?
by Ruby Moore
Why do guys think it’s a compliment when they consider a girl to be
“one of the guys?” I grew up with two
brothers and their 20 million friends.
So I really had 20 million brothers.
Sometimes this was a good thing, but
most of the time: not so good.
Guy troubles are easier to deal with
than girl worries. I like choices
involving whether to eat pepperoni or
Canadian bacon. Maybe even picking
between Halo and Rainbow Six.
It’s more perplexing to choose
whether or not Susie should break up
with Johnny for looking at Carol in a
way that might make her think that he
likes her even though he once said
that she was the ugliest thing ever created and would never think about
coming within two feet of her even if
you paid him a million dollars, but he
would really do that for money so
Suzie shouldn’t trust him and should
talk to Freddy instead because he told
Donny that he thinks she’s really cute
so should she wear the pink shirt with
black stripes or the one with white
trim?
WHAT!?!?!?
I choose pepperoni and Halo. I
choose not wearing pink with black or
white because I am an anti-pink person. I choose having brothers over
sisters.
But does that really mean that I
want to be “one of the guys?” I don’t
think so. Hanging out with the guys is
fun. They do stupid stuff and, when
I’m not joining in, I get to laugh. Most
of them don’t worry about what
clothes they’re going to wear or fixing
their hair to go muddin’ so I fit right
in. But on the other hand, there are
times, at least once a year, that I want
to go shopping, look at shoes and
gripe about how dumb guys can be. I
am still a member of the female population.
Sure, being “one of the guys” is
great. Most of my guy friends are
pretty cute, some are considered “hot”
by my female cohorts, and I know
secrets about them that most girls
would love to know.
Secrets such as who they are interested in, what they did when they didn’t call last night and other things that
I would be killed for revealing.
However, being a female and maintaining my position of honor as one of
the guys puts me in really difficult situations sometimes.
I usually have to answer the “what
do you think?” question after hearing
who the new girlfriend is for the first
time. Though I’m flattered that my
opinion counts for something, it’s
really hard for me to look at him and
say, “I know things about her that you
don’t know and wouldn’t want to
know, but I can’t tell you because
she’s my friend too, and she swore me
to secrecy.”
Even worse is waiting until they’ve
been dating for a few months and then
finding out that she’s cheating on him.
How do you tell your best friend that
his girlfriend isn’t right for him and
why, without breaking his heart in the
process? You can’t. He will get mad
and not talk to you for a while.
The pressure from the other side of
the field is ludicrous. Girls have much
more subtle ways of pumping for
information that they know they
aren’t going to get. Their trickery and
deception isn’t quite as blunt as that
of the guys. So at the same time that
I’m answering the “should I call”
question for the guy, I’m answering
the “why did he call” question for the
girl.
Here’s a lesson I’ve learned: it’s
next to impossible to be completely
honest with both people, keep them
satisfied with enough information and
not break a vow of silence with either
one of them.
Why is it such a compliment to be
“one of the guys?” You never have to
worry about a boy breaking your heart
because he will be severely disfigured. That’s more of a pain of hanging
out with the guys than a plus. Is it
because guys are so much better than
girls to hang out with?
Sometimes, but they are still guys
and they still do guy stuff. I asked my
friend once how he expected to get a
girlfriend if he continued doing the
things that he did in front of me and
he told me that he didn’t do that stuff
in front of girls. What am I, a monkey?
The most likely reason that guys
consider it complimentary to include
a female as “one of the guys” is
because that means they trust you.
They know they can confide in you
and it will stay between the two of
you. So it’s a good thing if they think
you’re one of the guys.
Why?
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
By Angie Wennerlind
“For you created my innermost
being, you knit me in my mother’s
womb. I will praise you because I am
fearfully and wonderfully made.”
The month of January has come
and gone, reminding me of three
things. The good: it is a time for me to
begin a new year, a blank page in the
book of my life. The bad: it’s time for
me to forget about all hopes of sleeping-in and begin another laborious
semester of college.
The ugly surfaces when I recall that
January is the month of the historical
Roe vs. Wade anniversary, the month
where I look back on what the court
decision has meant for our nation.
Now, I’m not trying to preach.
Heck, I’m doing everything I can to
be sensitive about a subject as volatile
as a pin-pulled grenade. I just realize
that the truth is often swept under the
rug, and being a journalist, I value
nothing more highly than the truth.
My desire in opening up this can of
worms is to let the facts speak for
those who can’t speak for themselves.
Let’s start by defining life.
According to Webster’s dictionary,
something is alive when it “is in existence, operation and has the characteristics of life.”
Would you consider having a heartbeat a “characteristic of life”?
According to doctors, a fetus has a
detectable heartbeat 18-25 days after
its conception.
I remember recently seeing an
interview about a certain doctor’s
practices. Consistently, the practitioner employed the words “specimen”
and “tissue,” to define the “things” he
aborted. He refused to admit the
“specimens” were live beings.
The same technique is utilized in
medical anatomy labs when medical
students dissect human cadavers.
Students view their cadavers as
objects in attempts to detach themselves and not become overly sentimental. They pretend that human
heads and various body parts are simply made of wax—a morbid comparison but nonetheless a more soothing
outlet for the mind.
In the same way, when women are
told the “specimen” living inside of
them is merely “a wad of tissue,” it is
easier for a woman to make the decision to abort. It’s no wonder that
mothers feel a deep sense of remorse
upon discovering they have aborted
their unborn baby, as opposed to a
nonliving vestige.
Other food for thought? The suicide rate among women who have had
an abortion is three times greater than
that of the general suicide rate. It’s
also true that women generally experience post-abortion depression
amongst other symptoms, all of which
have been medically defined as PostAbortion Syndrome.
The statistics? Each year 1,500,000
babies are aborted. The waiting list
for couples interested in adoption,
however, is 2,000,000 couples long.
This list includes couples willing to
adopt handicapped children as well as
children of different racial backgrounds.
Sadly, only 50,000 babies are put
up for adoption yearly. But don’t take
my word for it. Research the statistics
for yourself, and remember, these are
just the facts; you decide what you
want to do with them.
Celebration of diversity
Nation remembers dreams from past
By Nikki Brooks
Staff Reporter
African Americans have struggled
to become equal in a society where
they are seen as different. Factors
such as racism, hatred and segregation have influenced many people to
stand up for their rights and pursue
freedom.
February is designated as Black
History Month, during which celebrations, parades and marches commemorate the accomplishments of the
black community.
Americans have recognized black
history since 1926. The celebration
and study of black history is owed to
Carter G. Woodson, the father of
Black History.
Woodson chose the second week of
February because it marks the birthdays of two men who greatly influenced the black American population,
Frederick Douglass and Abraham
Lincoln.
“The right of every American to
first-class citizenship is the most
important issue of our time,” said
Jackie Robinson, baseball player.
Robison was signed to play for the
Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947.
He paved the way for black athletes to
compete in professional sports.
In the late 1950s to 1960s African
Americans faced great turmoil and
strife.
Segregation caused them to be outcasts in almost every community in
America. The color of their skin
caused people to overlook who they
really were.
Boycotts, sit-ins and riots filled the
streets showing that African
Americans were not going to sit back
and let themselves be stepped on.
“Both tears and sweat are salty, but
they render a different result. Tears
will get you sympathy; sweat will get
you change,” said Jesse Jackson, religious leader and civil and human
rights activist.
Black History Month celebrates the
many influential people who paved
the way for freedom and equality.
Rosa Parks refused to give up her
seat on a bus in Montgomery,
Alabama, triggering the desegregation of public transportation.
Martin Luther King Jr. was one of
the leaders of the Civil Rights
Movement. King rallied for civil
rights and equality. He fought for
freedom so every African American in
the United States could be free from
inequality. He struggled for racial justice in America and was an advocate
for nonviolent protest.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to
justice everywhere,” King said.
Brown vs. The Board of Education
in Topeka, Kansas desegregated
schools in America in 1954. Black
children were allowed to go to school
with white children for the first time.
This shift in social ideology helped
equality spread throughout the United
States during times of racism and segregation.
“Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams
die, life is a broken winged bird that
cannot fly,” said Langston Hughes,
writer and poet.
Black History Month is celebrated
to show the power of what only a few
people can do to change the outcome
of history. Many organizations celebrate during this month to show that
they did overcome the pain of
inequality and hatred for so many
years.
News
February 4, 2005
Page 3
Two MC professors honored for excellence in teaching
From staff reports
Professor of welding technology
Dan Ledbetter and assistant professor
of English Laura McKenzie were the
recipients of Midland College’s annual Teaching Excellence Awards presented in a Jan. 13 awards ceremony.
The Teaching Excellence Awards
honor two outstanding faculty members from MC each year. The award
carries with it a cash honorarium, an
individual plaque and a permanent
listing on a plaque displayed in the
Pevehouse Admin-istration Building.
The winners also receive MC
National Institute for Staff and
Organizational
Development
(NISOD) awards and will receive
funding to attend the NISOD convention in May.
Ledbetter has been a welding
instructor at MC since 1999. He has a
bachelor of science degree from
North Texas State University (now the
University of North Texas) and a master of science degree from East Texas
State University (now Texas A&M
University-Commerce).
He was nominated for the award
because of his “extraordinary patience
Ledbetter
in support of his students.
Ledbetter is a member of the
American Welding Society and the
Texas Community College Teachers
Association.
His community service activities
include: teaching Sunday School, volunteering for building projects for the
Salvation Army; working with fifth
grade students from local independent
school districts on the “If I Had A
Hammer” program and teaching in
MC’s continuing education program.
He worked on the original committee to develop plans for MC’s
Advanced Technology Center, has
served on the MC curriculum committee, participates in career days at
local junior high schools and works
on different MC construction projects.
He has attended numerous seminars
and courses to update his career and
teaching skills.
“All students are able to learn and
improve,” Ledbetter said.
“All students, however, do not learn
through the same sort of experiences.
It is my job to find both the way each
student learns best and to provide the
most beneficial experience,” he said.
“Most students crave new knowledge and skills … they must be given
special attention through methods that
encourage rather than threaten. That’s
my job,” Ledbetter said.
Laura McKenzie has been an
adjunct MC English instructor in Ft.
Stockton since 1984 and a full-time
instructor at MC’s Williams Regional
Technical Center (WRTTC) since
2001.
She received her bachelor of arts
degree from Eastern New Mexico
University and master of arts degree
from the University of Texas of the
McKenzie
Permian Basin.
She has post-graduate hours from
Sul Ross State University, the
University of Dallas, the Dallas
Institute for the Humanities and the
University of Texas at Dallas.
McKenzie is pursuing a Ph.D. in
humanities from the University of
Texas at Dallas.
She has been president of the
Rotary Club and is a driving force in
the Ft. Stockton Community Theater.
She worked to design, promote and
implement the WRTTC “Dollars for
Scholars” campaign that successfully
raised more than $30,000 for WRTTC
students.
A co-worker praised her as “a
woman of tremendous integrity, who
has a strong commitment to her students. She not only talks the talk, she
walks the walk.”
McKenzie writes that her teaching
philosophy is simple: “I want to
empower my students by giving them
the tools to realize and fulfill their
potential; I want to open their minds
to the richness of their own world and
culture, as well as the world beyond; I
want to teach them to express themselves with clarity and confidence.”
Finalists
for
the Teaching
Excellence Awards were Vocational
Nursing Instructor Linda Jordan,
Associate Degree Nursing Program
Assistant Professor Lea Keesee, Fire
Protection Program Director Marion
“Ollie” Oliver, Geology Instructor
Fred Wetendorf, Biology Instructor
Lisa
Welch,
Reading/English
Instructor Lynda Webb, English
Instructor Mary Williams and Art
Instructor Carol Bailey.
Boot Camp classes aimed to curb student anxiety
By Lyn Johnson
Staff Reporter
The responsibility of the college
search is often overwhelming.
However, the MC Continuing
Education Department plans to lessen
concerns for new college students this
month with the introduction of Boot
Camp classes.
The program is designed to help
familiarize students with the college
experience.
According to Susan Hannon, continuing education coordinator, MC has
already worked for student awareness
through a series of college survival
nights and parent nights held this
school year, but the Boot Camp program will provide for a more extensive
study set in a classroom environment.
The program is composed of four
classes titled: choosing a college to
attend, conducting a scholarship search,
writing college and scholarship essays
and find the career or major that is right
for you.
Each course will be led by an expert
in its field and will allow students to
engage weekly in beneficial discussions and exercises that will help them
gain confidence and progress in their
college search.
The program targets high school juniors and students who will be applying
to college in the near future.
“We want to provoke students to
think about their future and look
beyond the realm of the high school
classroom,” Hannon said.
She said she has already publicized
the program through the Greenwood
and Midland Independent School
Districts, Midland Christian School
and Trinity School.
Alfredo Chaparro, MC director of
continuing education, was also scheduled to introduce the classes at a Lee
PTA meeting and a parent night and
will promote the classes via Channel 7
at 5 p.m., Feb. 7.
Boot Camp will prove a resource to
MCLite Program equips for success
By Tim Garlitz
Page Editor
For students who are new to the college
experience, the MCLite (Midland College
Learning Initiative To Excel) program is
designed to equip students for success at the
collegiate level.
MCLite, which is in its second semester of
operation, consists primarily of a two-hour
course that meets twice a week from 12:30-1:20
p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
MCLite also provides students with an academic coach who aids the students in their
study habits over the course of a semester.
“One of the key elements of MCLite that we
try to stress with this program is that you can be
successful,” said Jody Oakes, currently the primary tutor for MCLite as well as one of the
facilitators of the program.
“In this course, we’re introducing topics that
we feel will help the students learn college level
study strategies,” Oakes said.
The class itself is taught by Oakes with assistance from others close to the student body.
“Jan (Reed, director of student activities) and I
are teaching the course; last semester it was
Bob
(Haines, dean of enrollment management) and
I,” Oakes said.
“I like helping students become more successful, and I like getting to know the students
in any way I can, and MCLite gives me that
opportunity,” said Reed, who acts as a general
advisor to the students in the program.
In addition to the regular tutors or the course,
MCLite also brings in professors and those
involved in administration as guest speakers.
They generally speak on issues pertaining to
the classes that the students are taking.
The class is divided among four academic
coaches who spend one-on-one time once a
week mentoring the students and teaching them
the study skills necessary to excel in their particular classes. The students adjust their method
of study based on what classes they take and
how their professors assign homework.
MCLite is under the supervision of four
facilitators including: Oakes; Haines; Peggy
Wood, coordinator of developmental studies
and James Fuller, assistant coordinator of
developmental studies. Information on MCLite
can be found by contacting Oakes at 685-5542.
MC’s first four-year degree
BAT to debut in fall ‘05
By Ruby Moore
Page Editor
The Fall 2005 semester will mark the
beginning of a new era for Midland
College.
MC has been chosen to be one of three
community colleges in Texas that will be
accredited to award a Bachelor of Applied
Technology degree in technology management.
According to the MC website, the
Bachelor of Applied Technology (BAT)
program will allow students participating
in the program to pursue a career as a
supervisor, manager or executive in business, industry and government.
The program is specific for students who
have completed their Associate of Applied
Science (AAS) degree in the specialty
fields of legal assistant, law enforcement,
business systems and emergency medical
services.
“As excited as we are about the new program, it is important to acknowledge that
this is simply an additional offering which
will benefit our students, providing them a
local opportunity to expand their AAS
degree to the bachelor level,” said David
Daniel, MC president.
To MC students this program means
options. They will now have the option of
completing a four-year degree without
leaving Midland.
“It’s all about choices; now MC will provide those choices,” said Michael
Santonino, associate professor and lead
faculty member.
According to Santonino, a total of 127
semester credit hours will be needed to
complete the BAT program.
A minimum of 36 hours have to be dedicated to one of the four specialty fields,
which include legal assistant, emergency
medical services, business systems and law
enforcement. An additional 49 hours must
be upper-level courses in technology management.
It has taken two years for the dream of
Daniel, MC administrators and faculty and
a committee of community members to
become a reality. One key player in making
this program come to life is Speaker of the
Texas House of Representatives Tom
Craddick.
At the end of the 78th legislative session
Craddick pushed for an amendment to
Senate Bill 286. The amendment authorized three Texas Community Colleges to
pilot the baccalaureate program in applied
science and applied technology.
Also included in the program are
Brazosport College in Brazosport and
South Texas Community College in
McAllen.At the time, the Technology
Management program is the only four-year
degree being offered at MC. However,
Santonino said the plan is to add additional programs in the future.
Students interested in applying for the
BAT program can contact Nancy Hart,
director of admissions for the BAT
Program at 685-4704 or they can apply
online by following the links at www.midland.edu.
future college students by taking information that is normally skimmed over
in one night and spreading it out over
several weekly courses.
The classes are geared to dissolve
intimidation and procrastination.
“In high school, students feel pressed
with deadlines and decisions they have
to make, but the Boot Camp will alleviate some of the stress as it helps them to
make informed decisions,” Hannon
said.
Latisha Williams, MC director of
financial aid, will teach the scholarship
class.
She said she knows personally about
the difficulties of college funding.
With expanding student access,
Williams said she feels that the Boot
Camp program will help students to use
their resources effectively.
“You get out what you put in,” she
said. “Hopefully, the classroom environment will encourage students to be
involved.
“Since it will just be the students,
they might not be afraid to ask questions.”
The first class will begin on Monday,
Feb. 7, and courses will be offered
through April. The cost for one class is
$29. More information is available
from Chapparo at 685-4723, and registration is processed at 685-4518.
Happy Valentine’s Day
from El Paisano staff
News
Page 4
February 4, 2005
Voices of Giving Conference develops network
By Ruby Moore
Page Editor
Midland is a caring and giving
town. West Texas is a caring and giving region. America is a caring and
giving country.
These are the three things that
David Smith, executive director for
the Abell-Hanger Foundation, emphasized in the welcome speech he delivered at the Voices of Giving
Conference, held Saturday, Jan. 22,
for the Students in Philanthropy (SIP)
groups at the Advanced Technology
Center.
“The purpose [of the conference]
was to bring each group together to
develop a network outside of the individual programs,” Smith said. “We
also wanted to provide specialized
training in an efficient way.”
Students from across the Permian
G.I Bill helps many
veterans attend MC
By Cory Lehman
Staff Reporter
The Montgomery G.I. Bill helps
military service men and women to
begin a second career while still being
able to take care of their families or
work part-time, according to Bebe
Glasgow, the certifying official for
the VA programat Midland College.
The G.I. Bill provides help with living expenses for service men and
women while they attend school after
they have been honorably discharged
from the service. The bill was
designed to help members of the
Armed Forces re-enter civilian life
and give them the opportunity to
receive a higher education.
“It pays them roughly a $1,000 a
month; that is to help them so they
don't have to work full time and can
concentrate more on their school,”
Glasgow said.
“It is a really wonderful benefit for
them, and of course they have earned
it in my opinion,” Glascow said.
The amount given to the veterans is
subject to change. They are paid proportionately for that number of hours
in which they are enrolled, Glasgow
said.
To obtain the benefits of the G.I.
Bill, $100 per month is taken from the
service person’s pay unless the person
declines to participate in the program.
As of last semester, there were 133
students attending MC on the G.I.
Bill. The number of men attending
MC on the G.I. Bill is much larger;
only 20 percent are women, Glasgow
said.
After the 9/11 tragedy, the number
of students attending MC on the G.I.
Bill “about doubled,” Glasgow said.
Mary Gowan spent four years on
active duty in the Navy and two years
in the reserve. She now attends MC
on the G.I. Bill and is majoring in
business administration.
Married with two children, Gowan
said she is willing to sacrifice time
spent with her family to serve her
country. “I would go back and fight
for my country,” she said.
“You give $100 per month from the
bill, and it helps you go to college,
and you better your life. There are
great benefits from it,” Gowan added.
Veterans are a different kind of student who seem more serious about
their education. They have families
and jobs, and they know where they
are going in life, Glasgow said.
“I like to get to know them, they all
have come from varied backgrounds
and all have had different experiences
in the service from all branches, men
and women alike,” Glasgow said.
The G. I. Bill first came to be in
1944 when President Franklin
Roosevelt signed what is known as
the G.I. Bill of Rights. This law has
made it possible for the investment of
billions of dollars for the education
and the training of millions of veterans.
The veterans have 10 years to use
the G.I. Bill and then they are paid 36
months of entitlement. To draw the
full benefit of the G.I. Bill, the service
person must have served for three
years. Many have served longer.
Carl Campanero served his country
for 20 years and is now going through
the radiography program at MC.
Appreciative of the G.I. Bill,
Campanero said, “It’s nice to be able
to go to school, nice to have the check
come in because it frees up time. It
allows you to work part time and
allows you to get by and work around
your school schedule.”
Locals experience ‘terror’
while in nation’s capital
By Bradley Bourke
Staff Reporter
David Golden, orchestra director for
Permian High School, said he came
face-to-face with terror at the White
House during his recent visit to the
nation’s capital.
Permian High School’s Satin String’s
were invited to perform at the
Presidential
Inauguration
in
Washington, D.C. This is the third time
in the past 10 years the local high school
group has been invited.
The group had been scheduled to take
a tour of the White House the second
day of its trip. Trying to keep up with
their busy touring schedule, and being
caught in traffic, the tour guide suggested that Golden get out of the van and
walk the remaining distance to inform
the White House officials that the
orchestra would be arriving soon.
So, Golden jumped off the bus and
headed toward the White House. He ran
into two secret service men at
Pennsylvania and fiftheenth street. He
explained to them that his group had a
tour of the White House scheduled.
They told him to take the next road, one
block down.
The cause of the delay, according to
the secret service, was that a man had
filled a van up with gas and was threatening to blow it up in front of the White
House. His wife had taken their kids,
and he wanted custody, but instead
made himself a “homeland terrorist.”
It ended up backing traffic for 12
blocks and was the reason that there
were so many problems, Golden said.
The White House tour got cancelled.
So, for the third inauguration in a row,
Satin Strings failed to see the inside of
the White House.
After their escapade with the White
House and a front row view of terror in
the capital, they decided to spend the
rest of the day at the Smithsonian
Institute, which Golden said was one of
the highlights of the trip.
The next day, after touring the
Holocaust Museum, they went to dinner
before going to play at the Fairfax. At
dinner they got a call from Midland’s
own Congressman Mike Conaway who
told them that he had scored some tickets to the inauguration. Up until then
they didn’t have any.
Early the next morning, Tony Guinn,
chaperone for Satin Strings, rode the
subway to Mike Conaway’s office, then
to the ceremony with the tickets to meet
the kids there and got there in time to
view the inauguration from right behind
the reflecting pool.
After the inaugural ceremony the
group of 55 played at six inaugural balls
for more than 30,000 people.
They arrived at the balls in enough
time to change into their tuxedos and
tune up, just as President George W.
Bush arrived.
Before they began performing, it had
seemed as if the crowd was thinning.
But as the group from Bush’s home
state was playing, they gathered quite a
crowd.
Among the crowd were some celebrities. As if coming face-to-face with
homeland terror wasn’t enough, they
came face-to-face with television personality Tom Green, of the Tom Green
Show, who said nothing but gave them
a smile of satisfaction.
Television personality Ben Stein, of
Win Ben Stein’s Money, also stopped
and took a picture of a cello player for
the group.
Golden said, “The highlight of the
trip was the phenomenal response that
the group got from the audience at the
balls when they performed.”
Visit SatinStrings.com for more
details.
Basin representing SIP
and to ask quesprograms from Midland
tions about the
College, University of
o rg a n i z a t i o n s
Texas of the Permian
they are fundBasin, Odessa College,
ing.
Midland High School
“When you
and Lee High School
write a grant
gathered to learn about
you have to
reading financial statewrite expected
ments, board developresults and you
ment and the procedures
guys want to
for completing a sucmake sure they
cessful site visit to
are achieving
potential grantee agenthose results,”
cies.
Wetendorf said.
Partnered with the
The
day
Abell-Hanger
Founended with a
Photo courtesy of Laura Walker
dation
was
the
panel of nonNonprofit Management Lael Cordes Pitts, Cindy Benson, Kelly Ives and Sandy
profit executive
Center of the Permian Tisdale served as panelists at the gathering.
directors sharing
Basin who supplied the
their
experispeakers and materials for the stu- account of all income and to make ences in the field with the students.
sure it is allocated to appropriate secdents.
“Everyone has something to give
Mark Palmer, associate director for tions of the budget.
and through this field you find out
Hotchkiss emphasized that “you what you can give back,” said Cindy
the Nonprofit Management Center,
walked students through a budget and can’t ask for money until you’ve Benson, executive director of United
other financial statements that they given money.”
Way.
It is much easier to get someone to
might encounter when reviewing a
The entire panel agreed that the
support a program when the donor main thing they hoped students
grant request.
He told students that since more knows the requestor has already given learned from the workshops and the
than 400 nonprofits exist in Midland to the program, she said.
speakers was that working for a nonOnce a year, SIP members visit the profit requires dedication and a belief
County, it is important that the public
knows what those organizations are agencies to see how that nonprofit in the mission of the program.
works.
doing and holds them accountable.
It is rewarding experience that conThe Maverick Players assisted stantly reminds you that “it’s worth it
“If [nonprofit organizations] are not
faithfully managing their dollars, Cookie Wetendorf, director of the when you see that [the people you
they’ve broken their trust with the Nonprofit Management Center, by help] have a chance because of what
acting out a role-play to show stucommunity,” Palmer said.
you do,” Benson said.
Sharla Hotchkiss, training consult- dents how to complete a successful
Since the inception of the SIP proant for the Nonprofit Management site-visit.
gram,
more than $400,000 has been
“The best way to educate yourself
Center, explained why it is important
awarded
in scholarship money to stuthat a nonprofit have a good board of as funders is to have a face-to-face
dents
in
all
seven programs.
directors and what its responsibilities meeting with [the agencies],”
Those students have raised more
Wetendorf said.
were as a board.
The Maverick Players performed than $18,000 to be matched by the
Students learned that it is the
board’s duty to make sure the agency two skits, one good site visit and one Abell-Hanger Foundation.
is staying on track with its mission bad site visit, to show the students
More than $270,000 has been
how important it is to be prepared to granted to nonprofit organizations in
and purpose.
Another responsibility is to keep an answer questions from the grantee Midland and Odessa.
Childcare program serves
community at two facilities
By Ashton Baker
Page Editor
For those students who wander
around campus, going from one class
to another, there are certain areas of
the campus that we may not notice.
Allow me to introduce the Helen L.
Greathouse Children’s Center, founded in 1985, and located on the northeast side of the campus.
The facility is primarily used as a
daycare center open to Midland
College faculty and students, as well
as members of the community.
The overall goal of the Children’s
Center is to enhance the growth and
development of each child to his/her
greatest potential, said Rita Stotts,
director of child development.
“We take pride in our facility—
both its teachers and the curriculum
that are taught to the children who
attend,” Stotts said.
“We strive for excellence in every
aspect of our program. Every curriculum is developmentally appropriate
for each child,” Stotts said
The center is licensed by the Texas
Department of Protective and
Regulatory Services for 52 children
ages two through five years.
They also maintain a balance
between children of college and noncollege families, as well as children of
different social, cultural and economic backgrounds, gender and age.
The center is the only daycare center accredited by the National
Association for the Education of
Young Children in the Permian Basin,
according to Stotts.
However, the Greathouse Center is
not the only MC Child Care Center in
Midland.
MC and Manor Park, Inc. have collaborated efforts to create the MC
Child Care Center at Manor Park,
Inc., located on West Loop 250.
The center is licensed for 42 children ages three months to five years.
Tracy Roome, coordinator of child
development at MP, Inc., said the center’s primary service function is met
by providing a high-quality child care
program to the employees of MP, Inc.,
the grand/great grandchildren of its
residents, as well as the children of
MC students, faculty and the community.
Literature provided by the Child
The Dollye Neal Chapel,
located on the grounds of the
Midland College campus is open for private
meditation and reflection,
7 a.m. - 7 p.m., Monday through Sunday.
Also, the Chapel is available for weddings
and small group meetings. If you would like
more information visit the website
at www.midland.edu/chapel or email us
at [email protected].
You may also call the Chapel Director
at 685-4770.
Care Center acknowledges that it has
been established in support of the
Eden philosophy, which states that
both Elder adults and children benefit
from social and cognitive interactions.
“MP is a wonderful place,” Roome
said. “It is much like a small community where everyone cares about their
neighbor.
The staff is well trained and they
truly care for the residents and their
needs.
And the children have been the
icing on the cake. They are loved and
cherished by the staff and residents
alike.”
Both centers provide instructional
lab support for child development,
psychology, health science and other
related courses to meet college and
high school students’ educational
goals, and have been recognized as 4star providers by Child Care
Management Services.
More information about enrollment
at either center or about the MC Early
Childhood Development program is
available through Stotts at (432) 6854574.
Experienced
Tax Preparer
Taxes done starting at $20.
E-filing available.
Will pick up, if necessary.
Free pen with every return.
Call 694-0158 any time.
Also, bookkeeping
and notary services.
Entertainment
February 4, 2005
Page 5
Movie Reviews
New year brings fresh mix to local theaters
By Raenell Diffie
Staff Reporter
Lemony Snicket’s A Series of
Unfortunate Events
I made the grave mistake of walking into the theater thinking that I
would shortly be watching Jim
Carrey’s version of children’s entertainment. This movie was by no
means just for the kids.
Directed by Brad Silberling, this
film tells the story of three newly
orphaned, but extraordinary children
as they search for a new place to call
home and uncover the mystery surrounding the death of their parents.
The film has a larger than life setting, and in that setting lives even
larger characters. The world itself has
the style and feel of the 19th Century,
but has all the handiness of modern
day life such as car phones and convenience stores.
As for the characters you have the
genius orphans, the slimy Count Olaf,
the paranoid Aunt Josephine, and the
incompetent Mr. Poe, all of whom are
made-up by a star-studded cast with a
few outrageous cameos thrown in.
The story was not the least bit predictable, but it kept one entertained
and occasionally on the edge of their
seat just the same. I dare say I might
have even jumped out of it.
The dark feel of the film coincided
with the storyline wonderfully. It was
nice to see that it wasn’t bright and
light-hearted just for the sake of making it a kids’ film. It held a good balance between gloom and doom and
still managed to have a happy ending.
This film is one to see, and I can’t
wait to see if there will be a sequel.
Meet the Fockers
The name says it all. The sequel to
Meet the Parents, this film started out
just as stupid and gross as it’s prede-
cessor, but slowly and surely the
undeniable talents of two of the
world’s greatest actors shown through
all the muck to reveal a touching, yet
silly, human story.
In the first film Greg had the task of
meeting his girlfriend’s parents,
played by Robert DeNiro and Blythe
Danner, and getting their blessing for
his proposal. Once that has been
attained, it was time for the two
emerging families to meet.
Introducing Dustin Hoffman and
Barbara Strisand as Mr. and Mrs.
Focker. These two could not have
done a more hilarious and outright
phenomenal job playing these two
hippy, heartening and horny parents.
They definitely stole the show.
Take this combination of dueling
parental units, mix-in a pregnant girlfriend, and toss with an unknown love
child and you have the ingredients of
a moderately good film.
Take Ten
Top 10 Worst Valentine’s Day gifts
10. Deodorant
4. A dead squirrel
9. A fish tank
8. Low-Carb,
no-sugar chocolate
7. An Anatomy and
Physiology textbook
6. An Ab-Lounge
and/or gym
membership
5. A smoothie, courtesy of Fear Factor
3. A letter saying you
have been chosen to
appear on Extreme
Makeover
2. A thesaurus
authored by Paris
Hilton (that’s hot)
1. Voice lessons from
Ashlee Simpson
The Hot Spot
with Ashton Baker
I once heard a quote that went a little
something like this: “A New York minute is
nothing compared to a week in Hollywood.”
I never understood exactly what that quote
meant until I actually began paying attention
to the entertainment industry. It’s amazing
how often things change.
Now that we’ve all had the winter break to
recover, allow me to provide some factoids
to fuel your conversation with a complete
stranger while standing in line for coffee.
First things first — probably the biggest
entertainment news since they first got married in July 2000: the surprising split of
Hollywood power couple Brad Pitt and
Jennifer Aniston. I will admit when I first
found out, I almost hit the floor.
There have been reports that their split
was fueled by her want to establish a movie
career and his need for a family, as well as
the infamous rumors that Pitt and Angelina
Jolie had a heated affair on the set of their
upcoming flick Mr. And Mrs. Smith, out in
June. The couple released a statement on
Jan. 7 announcing their split as “the result of
much thoughtful consideration.”
But even the most observed split in
Hollywood couldn’t hold them back from
their prominent careers.
Since the announcement, Pitt has been to
Tokyo and back for the premiere of his
blockbuster Ocean’s 12 and volunteered his
time for an NBC telethon Jan. 15 that raised
more than $18 million for victims affected
by the tsunami that hit parts of Asia on Dec
26, 2004.
Aniston has since begun filming her third
film in a row, titled Friends With Money.
The couple has not yet filed for divorce; the
split is simply a chance to see where their
relationship is going, according to People
magazine.
In other news, one of the most glamorous
and celebrated nights in Hollywood has
come and gone: the 62nd Annual Golden
Globe Awards were held on Jan. 16. The
Aviator, featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and
Million Dollar Baby, directed by Clint
Eastwood and starring Hilary Swank, were
among the nights biggest winners.
Also, a favorite among the Hollywood
Foreign Press Association was ABC’s new
hit series Desperate Housewives. The
show’s ultimate success has been called “the
most successful spin-off in the success of
primetime” by critics who usually despise
sitcoms.
Now that the Globes are out of the way,
the race for the Oscars has begun. The nominees were announced on Jan. 25. The
Aviator claimed 11 nominations, including
best picture. Million Dollar Baby and
Finding Neverland tied for second with
seven nominations each. Ray, starring Jamie
Foxx came in third with a total of five nominations.
Others that received acclaim include
Hotel Rwanda, Sideways and Eternal
Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind. The ceremony will take place Sunday, Feb. 27 on
ABC.
In addition to the mounds of award ceremonyies taking place this season, proposals
and weddings have been in full swing. As a
very merry Christmas gift, Jude Law proposed to girlfriend Sienna Miller with a gold
ring featuring nine diamonds set in platinum. They have yet to set a date, but the
couple has been described by many as “very
in love and looking forward to their future
together.”
An unidentified source ratted out the
secret nuptials between Enrique Iglesias and
Anna Kournikova over the holiday season,
confirming what tabloids had suspected all
along. Details of the ceremony have yet to
be released, but leave it to the tabloid media
to get those details, down to the color they
choose for their wedding napkins.
And finally, the Donald: Mr. Trump wed
his long-time fiancée Melania Knauss in a
lavish ceremony on Jan. 22 at Trump’s
newly unveiled Mar-A-Lago Estate and
Club in Palm Beach, Florida. A-listers to
attend included Don King, Kelly Ripa,
Regis Philbin, Barbara Walters and former
New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
Knauss’ gown, designed especially for her
by John Galliano of Christian Diorthat
reportedly cost around $100,000, was made
with more than 300 feet of satin and
weighed 50 pounds. But that’s nothing compared to her $1.5 million engagement ring
that would put the cost of a palace to shame.
We might have to add an eighth wonder to
the world.
If you are a fan of this type of
mindless comedy, this film is at the
top of its genre. It can hit you with
the slapstick, make you laugh at the
tactless humor and still be pulling at
the old heartstrings.
Elektra
It’s no secret that Jennifer Garner
kicks butt, but now she’s got a pintsized black belt-wearing hottie following at her heals.
In this latest comic book turned silver screen adventure, Garner plays
the title role of Elektra, a warrior
brought back to life only to become
an assassin so that she might ultimately learn to fight for good. Irony
doesn’t even begin to describe it.
Motherless
herself,
Garner
becomes the matriarchal figure for
one gifted young girl known as “the
treasure.” She must teach her as well
as protect her from supernatural villains who are trying to kill them both.
Yes, the dialogue was a bit cliché
and the script wasn’t quite quality literature, but this was an action film
based on a comic book - there’s only
so much the creators could do. The
really bad news is that this was just
another in an ever-growing list of
comic book films and it offered no
great innovations to make it stand out
from all the others.
It’s only true, redeeming quality
was Garner’s silk, crimson superhero
costume which I’m sure enticed more
than one heterosexual male into the
theater.
Her junior kick-butt co-part wasn’t
quite as wardrobe worthy, but maybe
she’ll be luckier in the sequel.
I would recommend this film
because, although it is mediocre overall, I would never deprive anyone the
opportunity to see a female drop kick
the bad guy. And who better to do it
than the reigning queen of karate.
Sports
Page 6
Sport
Shorts
Askew signs with MC
Midland High catcher Ali Askew
signed a letter of intent to play softball at MC.
Askew, who is a three-year softball letter winner, hit .228 last season for the Lady Bulldogs and was
a first-team 3-5 All-district selection.
Keiffer to play at MC
Lee pitcher-first baseman Barry
Keiffer signed to play for MC starting next season.
Keiffer, a left-handed pitcher, has
played with the Lee varsity squad
for two seasons and is returning for
his senior year this February. As a
pitcher last season, Keiffer posted
an 8-1 record.
Keiffer was named to the AllDistrict 3-5A first team as a first
baseman. He hit .429 in district and
led the Rebels with 13 RBIs in 12
district games. Keiffer will reportedly be used primarily as a pitcher
at MC.
Spring Sports
It’s time to support MC’s other
spring sports. Yes, basketball is still
in full swing and will be through
March.
The baseball team starts its season on Feb. 5. The team and coaches are looking forward to another
good season. Most home games are
played at Christensen Stadium and
are free to students with a college
I.D. See page 7 of this issue for a
schedule and baseball player bios.
The softball team began play on
Jan. 3. The next issue of El Paisano
will offer bios of the softball players.
For more information on any MC
athletic teams, go to Chap Athletics
at www.midland.edu.
POLICY NOTIFICATION
It is the policy of Midland College
to provide equal opportunities
without regard to race, color,
national origin, sex, age, disability,
or veteran status in its educational
programs and activities. This
includes, but is not limited to,
admissions, educational services,
financial aid, housing, and employment. Midland College is a public
community college, which provides university parallel, occupational/technical, general education,
community services and student
developmental services programs.
Services are available for those
with limited English proficiency to
assist them in securing access to all
programs and activities. Inquiries
concerning application of this policy may be referred to Mary Lou
Blakeney; Coordinator of Title IX,
and Section 504 responsibilities.
NOTIFICACIÓN DEL CURSO
DE ACCIÓN
Es el curso de acción de Midland
College proveer oportunidades
iguales en sus programas educacionales y en sus actividades sin
consideración a raza, color, origen
nacional, sexo, edad, deshabilidad
física o clasificación de veterano.
Este curso de acción incluye, pero
se limita a, las admisiones, los servicios educacionales, la ayuda
financiera, la ayuda para alojamiento, y empleo. Midland
College es una escuela pública de
la comunidad que provee los programas que son paralelos a los programas universitarios, ocupacionales y técnicos, programas de
educación general, de servicios
para la comunidad y de programas
de servicio para el desarrollo estudiantil. Los servicios les son
disponibles a los que tienen habilidad limitada en inglés para que
ellos tengan acceso a todos los programas y actividades de la escuela.
Las preguntas relacionadas a la
aplicación de las acciones de
Midland College pueden referirse a
Mary Lou Blakeney, Coordinadora
del Título IX, y de las responsabilidades de la Sección 504.
MIDLAND COLLEGE
3600 NORTH GARFIELD
MIDLAND, TEXAS 79705
432-685-4534
02/06/05
February 4, 2005
Chaps move into first place in WJCAC
By Mona Garcia
Staff Reporter
The Jan. 31 game against Frank
Phillips College put the MC Chaps in
the number one spot in the Western
Junior College Athletic Conference
(WJCAC) with a winning score of
76-65.
“We didn’t play our best but I think
it just came down to who wanted it
more,” said J.D. Lewis, who was one
of the top scorers of the night with 18
points.
All night it was to close of a game
as the Chaps went into the locker
room at the half behind by one point
with a score of 32-31.
It seemed to stay close the whole
night until MC started beating the
Plainsman by no less than nine
points.
“Our game was sloppy but I
thought our effort was there on
defense; we played hard and our guys
did their best,” Coach Grant
McCasland said.
Other leading players in the game
against the Plainsman were Tristan
Martin with 17 points, Ivory Clark
with 11 points and Matt Martin added
10.
The MC Chaps had a close victory
when they beat New Mexico Junior
College on Jan. 27 by only five points
with a score of 79-74.
This game put MC in a three-way
tie with Frank Phillips and Howard
College for second place in the
WJCAC.
Clark led the Chaps with a game
high of 20 points, Lewis and Arturas
Valeika each had 16 points, and
Alonzo Hinds added 10 points to the
Chaps victory.
It was an interesting game when the
MC Chaps lost to South Plains
College 80-65 on Jan. 24 in a
WJCAC game.
South Plains took an early lead of
19-3 and even though MC tried to
bring the gap closer with a score of
34-22 at halftime, but it just wasn’t
enough.
The leading Chaps were Hinds with
16 points and Clark with eight
rebounds.
It was a great win on Jan. 20 for
MC with a score of 93-67, as they
took on rival Odessa College in their
first home game of the WJCAC.
MC scored 14 of the first 16 points
and took an early lead to scare the
Photo by Randy Rodriguez
MC’s J.D. Lewis attempts to pass around a Frank Phillips player
during Monday night’s game.
Wranglers and it worked until the
Wranglers brought the lead down 2615, but MC brought the lead up 43-31
at halftime. After that OC did not get
close to bringing MC’s lead back
down.
Leading the Chaps to beat OC was
Lewis with a team-high of 23 points,
Hinds with 20 points; Clark with 17
points along with nine rebounds and
eight blocked shots and Martin with
17 points.
Lady Chaps begin new year with high spirits
By Jessica Gonzales
Staff Reporter
“Man, hold up! Hold Up! Lady
Chaps got this game sew’d up!” was
the cry of the Lady Chaparrals as they
huddled together at Chap Center.
The Lady Chaps played their fourth
conference game against Frank
Phillips College Jan. 31.
The women of Midland College
won their second straight game in
conference play at Chap Center with a
final score of 85-73.
Irma Kmitaite, Britney DavisWhite and Rachel Brazell were the
leading scorers with 23, 13 and 20
points, respectively. MC finished with
19 personal fouls and 14 assists.
“We really stepped out there against
FPC,” said Davis-White.
“We know we have to come and
win on our home court,” Davis-White
said.
The Chaps came into the Jan. 31
game off a road win against New
Mexico Junior College. MC finished
the game with the score of 74-57.
Davis-White again led the Chaps
with 23 points and Rachel Brazell
scored 20. MC finished with 20 personal fouls and 17 assists.
“We have a good team and we like
to work hard,” said freshman Caroline
Adriaansz. “I helped the team a little.
We all put in the effort to win.”
“When we play South Plains again,
we’re going to beat them. That’s how
we think about it,” Adriaansz said.
Photo by Randy Rodriguez
MC’s Heather Karner looks for help during Monday night’s game
against Frank Phillips College at Chap Center. The Ladies won
the game 85-73.
Adriaansz referred to the Lady
Chap’s first conference loss against
South Plains College Jan. 24.
The Chaps traveled to South Plains
and lost 77-38.
MC had a total of 20 personal fouls
against South Plains. Davis-White,
Heather Karner and Evelina Janisyte
were the leading scorers with eight
points, seven points and nine points,
respectively.
The Chaps had 17 personal fouls
Spring sports plan
for continued success
By Ryan Alexander
Staff Reporter
The Chaparral baseball, softball,
and golf teams are expected to make
quite a bit of noise this year, while
hoping to improve in all categories
from last year, according to players
and coaches.
The Lady Chaparrals have been in
the softball national
tournament the past
three years under
head coach Tommy
Ramos, and freshmen pitcher Brianna
Dairy doesn’t think
that will change this
year.
“We have a strong teams this year,
with a very tough defense and have
been working real well together,” she
said.
With the additions of freshmen
Marina Poddubskaya and Natalia
Sergeeva from Tuchkovo, Russia and
Dairy’s 67 mph fastball, there is no
reason to doubt that the team will go
far this year.
The softball season got underway
Jan. 29 with the Sun City tournament
in El Paso.
Since Midland College adopted its
baseball program in 2001, Coach
Steve Ramharter has guided the team
to success by compiling a 158-65
career record thus far.
Led by sophomore pitcher Ricky
Heines and slugging freshman catcher
Rebel Riddling, the coach said he
expects the men to improve on their
33-20 record of last year and make
some noise in the
Region V tournament
in May.
The Chaps get
underway Feb. 5,
against Cisco at
Christensen Stadium.
The Chaparral Golf
team has a history of
success under coach
Delnor Poss. In 27
seasons his teams
have racked up 237 tournament victories, competing in 17 straight national
tournaments, winning national titles in
1992 and 1995.
With returning superstars Niles
Bjorling from Sweden and Greg
Bowden of Ireland, Poss said he
expects another winner on his hands
this year.
Bjorling and Bowden were the second and third ranked golfers in the
NJCAA top 20 last year.
The MC kings of the fairway will
kick off their season on Feb. 11
against the University of Texas
Brownsville in South Padre Island.
Chaps
Baseball
Golf
Softball
and 10 assists. None of the Chap
women fouled out.
The Lady Chaps ended their first
conference game of the season against
the Odessa College Wranglers with a
score or 61-50.
Adriaansz had nine points and eight
rebounds. Davis-White and Kmitaite
were the leading scorers with 13
points and 10 points, respectively.
MC had 21 turnovers and 19 personal fouls. Neither the MC women
nor the OC women had any players
fouled out.
“We’re really excited about the
game against OC; it’s a really good
rivalry between the two teams. The
schools are so close, and Odessa has
beaten us the last three times,” said
new assistant coach Lindsey Werntz.
OC slowed on their defense in the
second half and came up with numerous missed shots.
The Lady Chaps held them to 24
points in the second half to give them
their first conference win.
“I’m more than happy about the
win. I’m ecstatic!” Davis-White said.
“The whole team stepped out, especially the freshmen. It’s an important
win to us coming off a loss to Trinity
Valley.”
“Overall, the team has improved
since the first semester; we’re focusing on how to improve individually,”
said freshman Addie Lees. Lees had
one of the six three-point field goals
against OC.
“It’s important to us to come back
and prove ourselves, and we have a
good chance at making the regional
tournament,” Davis-White said.
“We play as hard as we can to protect our home court,” said Brazell. “If
we play hard and play smart, winning
will take care of itself.”
“We’re not scared of any of our
opponents, and we’re going to work
on consistency for every game,” said
Brazell.
Diamond Chaps
February 4, 2005
Page 7
#14 Ricky Heines
Position: Pitcher
Class: SO
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Ht: 6'1" Wt: 195
Hometown:
San Antonio, Texas
#32 Adam Moser
Position: Pitcher
Class: SO
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Ht: 6'6" Wt: 220
Hometown:
Medicine Hat, Alberta,
Canada
Brent Hardy
Position: Pitcher
Class: SO (Red Shirt)
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Ht: 5'11" Wt: 188
Hometown:
Gordon A.C.T.,
Australia
#3 Dustin Bordovsky
Position: Infielder
Class: SO
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Ht: 5'10" Wt: 180
Hometown:
Kerrville, Texas
#1 Brett Stevens
Position: Outfielder
Class: SO
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Ht: 5'10" Wt: 155
Hometown:
Midland, Texas
#4 Ryan Watkins
Position: Outfielder
Class: SO
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Ht: 6'0" Wt: 195
Hometown:
Phoenix, Ariz.
#5 Brad Jones
Position: Infielder
Class: SO
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Ht: 5'10" Wt: 185
Hometown:
Potomac, Maryland
#6 Jason Russell
Position: Outfielder
Class: SO
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Ht: 6'0" Wt: 190
Hometown:
Midland, Texas
#7 Adam Sylvestre
Position: Outfielder
Class: SO
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
Ht: 6'1" Wt: 170
Hometown:
Toronto, Alberta,
Canada
#12 Zach Weber
Position: Pitcher
Class: FR
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Ht: 6'1" Wt: 208
Hometown: Flandreau,
South Dakota
#13 Rene Calderon
Position: Pitcher
Class: FR
Bats: Right
Throws: Left
Ht: 5'11" Wt: 165
Hometown:
San Antonio, Texas
15 Shawn Schaefer
Position: Pitcher
Class: FR
Bats: Right
Throws: Left
Ht: 5'10" Wt: 160
Hometown:
Pitt Meadows, BC,
Canada
#17 Brian Anderson
Position: Pitcher
Class: FR
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Ht: 5'11 " Wt: 145
Hometown:
Midland, Texas
#18 Kurtis Schumacher
Position: Pitcher
Class: FR
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
Ht: 5'11 " Wt: 165
Hometown:
Maple Ridge, BC,
Canada
#31 Eamonn Donovan
Position: Pitcher
Class: FR
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
Ht: 5'11" Wt: 170
Hometown:
Arlington, Texas
#33 Roger Ayala
Position: Pitcher Class:
FR
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Ht: 5'11 " Wt: 145
Hometown:
Kerrville, Texas
#34 Andrew Davis
Position: Pitcher
Class: FR
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Ht: 6'2" Wt: 230
Hometown:
Stanwood, Wash.
#35 Paul Marlow
Position: Pitcher
Class: FR
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Ht: 6'7" Wt: 215
Hometown:
Surrey, BC,
Canada
#37 Kevin Morsching
Position: Pitcher
Class: FR
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Ht: 6'1" Wt: 182
Hometown:
Rapid City,
South Dakota
#38 Flynn Stachowski
Position: Pitcher
Class: FR
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Ht: 6'3" Wt: 170
Hometown:
Leonardtown,
Maryland
Josh Faglie
Position: Pitcher
Class: FR (Red Shirt)
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Ht: 6'1 " Wt: 207
Hometown:
Medina, Texas
#20 Karlton Banks
Position: Catcher
Class: FR
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Ht: 5'11" Wt: 200
Hometown:
Amarillo, Texas
#30 Rebel Ridling
Position: Catcher
Class: FR
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Ht: 6'2" Wt: 215
Hometown:
Sentinel, Okla.
#8 Aaron Fuller
Position: Infielder
Class: FR
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
Ht: 5'11 " Wt: 170
Hometown:
Jarrell, Texas
#10 Steven Ellington
Position: Infielder
Class: FR
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Ht: 6' Wt: 180
Hometown:
Midland, Texas
#11 Drew Winston
Position: Infielder
Class: FR
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
Ht: 6'3" Wt: 196
Hometown:
Midland, Texas
#16 Greg Ralston
Position: Infielder
Class: FR-RS
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
Ht: 6'1" Wt: 170
Hometown:
Wichita Falls, Texas
#36 Sean McConal
Position: Infielder
Class: FR
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Ht: 6'2" Wt: 202
Hometown: Kerrville,
Texas
2005 Baseball Schedule
#2 Kevin Rawls
Position: Outfielder
Class: FR
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
Ht: 5'11" Wt: 155
Hometown:
Fair Oaks Ranch,
Texas
#19 Tim Smith
Position: Outfielder
Class: FR
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
Ht: 6'2" Wt: 215
Hometown:
Toronto, Ontario,
Canada
Brady Tyson
Position: Pitcher
Class: FR (Red Shirt)
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Ht: 6' Wt: 230
Hometown:
Comanche, Texas
Sorry,
picture not
available
at press
time
#39 Nirmall
Dijkman
Position: Infielder
Class: FR (Red Shirt)
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Ht: 6' 1" Wt: 190
Hometown:
Nuenen, Netherlands
Brian Reinke
Assistant Coach
Reinke came to MC
from Trinidad State in
Colorado. Reinke
coached TSJC and led
them to a strong 44014
record in 2000. He was
named Region IX
Coach of the Year in
2000.
Steve Ramharter
Head Coach
Going into year four
of his MC tenure
Ramharter has developed the Chap program
into a nationally recognized power. In the three
year history of the program the Chaps have
recorded an impressive
125-45 record for a .735
winning percentage.
DATE
FEBRUARY
Saturday 5
Tuesday 8
Saturday 12
Sunday 13
Saturday 19
Sunday 20
Friday 25
Saturday 26
Sunday 27
MARCH
Wednesday 2
Monday 7
Saturday 12
Sunday 13
Saturday 19
Monday 21
Friday 25
Saturday 26
APRIL
Friday 1
Saturday 2
Monday 4
Friday 8
Saturday 9
Friday 15
Saturday 16
Friday 22
Saturday 23
Friday 29
Saturday 30
MAY
Sat-Wed 14-18
OPPONENT
LOCATION
TIME
Cisco Junior College
Wayland Baptist University JV
Dodge City Community College
Dodge City Community College
Ranger College
Ranger College
Johnson County Comm. College
Olive Harvey Junior College
Olive Harvey Junior College
Christensen Stadium
Plainview, TX
Christensen Stadium
Christensen Stadium
Christensen Stadium
Ranger, TX
Christensen Stadium
Simon Field
Christensen Stadium
1 p.m.
1 p.m.
1 p.m.
Noon
1 p.m.
1 p.m.
1 p.m.
1 p.m.
1 p.m.
Vernon College
Lubbock Christian University JV
New Mexico Junior College
New Mexico Junior College
UT-Permian Basin JV
Wayland Baptist University JV
El Paso Community College
El Paso Community College
Christensen Stadium
Christensen Stadium
Hobbs, N..M.
Christensen Stadium
Christensen Stadium
Christensen Stadium
El Paso, TX
El Paso, TX
3 p.m.
Noon
Noon
Noon
1 p.m.
4 p.m.
Noon
Noon
Odessa College
Odessa College
McMurry University JV
Western Texas College
Western Texas College
Clarendon College
Clarendon College
Frank Phillips College
Frank Phillips College
Howard College
Howard College
Odessa, TX
Christensen Stadium
Abilene, TX
Christensen Stadium
Christensen Stadium
Christensen Stadium
Christensen Stadium
Borger, TX
Borger, TX
Big Spring, TX
Christensen Stadium
Noon
Noon
4 p.m.
Noon
Noon
Noon
Noon
Noon
Noon
1 p.m.
4 p.m.
Region V Tournament
Abilene, TX
TBA
Page 8
‘Welding’ Steaks
A hungry patron uses two hands to support her plate as a student puts beans on
her plate.
From staff reports
Welding instructor Joe Smith and his high school and college VICA
(Vocational Industrial Clubs of America) students hosted their annual
Welding Steak Dinner on Friday, Jan. 28.
This is the third year that VICA has held the steak dinner fundraiser. VICA students compete in VICA district , state and national contests. Funding to attend contests has been cut in recent years by both
Midland Independent School District and Midland College, making it
necessary for students to raise travel funds, Smith said. There are high
school and college level VICA competition.
“Our steak dinner was a success ; we raised approximately
$2,000,” Smith said. “We started with 300 steaks and had 10 or so left
over. My students ate the leftovers in steak and egg burritos one morning.”
Smith said that the MC VICA team is well-known on the competition circuit.
“Some people hope we don’t show up, because when we do you
have to have a good day to beat us. We seldom give up any places at
district and many times take the show. We are always in the top running at state,” Smith said.
“State competition is 16 first-place district winners competing in a
five-hour welding test (written and hands on). Last year we out welded 13 of them,” Smith said.
Smith has 54 welding students this semester with 32 students active
in VICA. He has 33 concurrent high school students and 21 college
students. He also said his high school VICA students are represented
by 24 males and five females.
For the steak dinner the team used 30 lbs. of beans, 60 lbs. of potatoes, eight gallons of salad, 20 gallons of tea, 12 loaves of bread, 1.5
gallons of salad dressing and four dutch oven cobblers.
Many VICA moms also provided desserts in the amount of 15 pies,
11 cakes, six dozen cookies and seven plates of brownies.
Smith has been teaching welding at MC for more than 20 years.
For more information on MC’s welding program or VICA team,
contact Smith at 631-4975.
February 4, 2005
The student above uses an oxy-fuel torch to bring a pot of water to a quick boil to
brew tea.
MC VICA students surround the cooking area at the ATC while keeping an eye on the grills where almost 300
steaks were cooked on Friday, Jan. 28.
These patrons prepare their palates for desert as they wait for cakes and pies after
their steak lunch.
VICA students sold tickets and kept a tally of how much money was being
raised.
Photos by Randy Rodriguez,
El Paisano
Students keep four large
grills hot as they grill the
steaks.
Diners enjoy the food and
conversation at one of the lunch tables.