https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/eb51129681e8d378131637d0aaa55004.pdf d8c104f50ac50522df088caef534ba6d PDF Text Text April 1, 2021 Casper College’s Student Voice Since 1945 Find us online! Lady T-Birds make school history Photo courtesy of Cory Garvin Per a recent post on the caspercollegewbb instagram account, the CC women are making history. The caption reads, "The Lady T-birds make history by being the first team in program history to go undefeated in a season. They defeat Northwest 100-51 and ar the North Champs. They are not 20-0 and 10-0 in Sub-Region 9 North play." Seniors staying in Casper for College Statistics and image from the Casper College website for the 2019-2020 academic year. Stephanie Barella Chinook Contributor Local Casper seniors enroll in Casper College for three main reasons including debt, accessibility, and quality education. Casper College is a school that enables students to complete higher education for a low cost. John O’Conner, the college advisor for Natrona County and Kelly Walsh High Schools over the past twenty years, explained that cost is a very important factor to consider when choosing a college. “I don’t discourage them from applying to more expensive schools,” O'Connor explains. “I let them come to their own conclusions.” Essentially, O'Connor breaks down how much school would realistically cost for each student. He explained that when speaking about cost per semester, that money could buy a new car. This financial realism is key in helping students navigate college applications, according to O’Connor. Curtis Winfrey, a graduating senior and incoming CC student explained how he chose the college. “Cost is huge,” Winfrey explained. “My step-mom always tells me that she’ll be in debt until she dies, and that won’t be me.” With the weight of finances weighing heavy, many students choose to stay in Casper for college. Tuition at CC is roughly $4,000 a year for residents, and that doesn’t account for Shawn Bush: A Snapshot Tyler Gallegos Chinook Writer Shawn Bush works as a photography instructor here at Casper College, but he has quite an interesting story to tell about what led him to Casper from the sprawling metropolitan areas he once called home. The Chinook sat down with Bush to learn about his beginnings in photography and his life in Wyoming. Bush was born in 1987 in Michigan, and he was raised around the Detroit area. Bush described the area as a “compacted place that is very gridded out and segregated.” Bush said that during his teenage years, he was into skateboarding, but he also found an interest in film and photography. At around the age of fourteen, he said he received his first camera, and at the age of sixteen, he converted a bathroom in his basement into a darkroom to develop his own film. After high school, Bush moved to Chicago and attended Columbia College where he received a degree in photography. Bush stayed in the Chicago area and worked as an assistant studio manager for Playboy magazine, which he said was “much different than you probably would expect,” mostly working on product shoots for a section called ‘mantrack.’ During his work with Playboy, Bush said he felt “discontent” with the way the magazine used art like “propaganda.” While working at the magazine, Hugh Heffner bought the publication back, and moved Bush’s studio location to Hollywood. Bush chose to stay in Chicago. Bush moved from the area after a few years before landing in the San Francisco area and Rhode Island where he received his master’s degree. While working on graphic design, Bush said he worked with many skateboarding magazines like Thrasher. Bush worked as a graphic designer for a few years but wanted to leave the environment of the city for something new. Then, Bush came to Casper College in 2018 and where he is an instructor for film photography, digital photography and color theory. He described the environment of Wyoming as calm and helpful to his creative process. “You can kind of isolate yourself here and try different things and give yourself time to think and work through visual problems,” Bush explained. Bush said he wanted to move out of the business side of photography into education for a change of pace. While Bush works with digital photography, he really finds his passion in shooting with film. Bush said the development of film is usually looked at in a cliche way. “They always either romanticize it (film) or make it like a horror scene,” said Bush. “It is like a romantic process though because you get to see light hit a piece of paper and then this image appears.” He enjoys the career of teaching because it gives him the ability to “engage with younger generations of artists and pass my knowledge down” while also giving him the time to pursue his artistic goals in his time off during the summers. While Bush isn’t busy teaching, he said he spends his summers working on projects with his publishing company and working on art shows around the country. scholarship money. O'Connor explained how cost effective the college is by explaining that students can make money if they stay in Casper. In fact, the school reported in 2021 that CC hands out roughly $3.5 million in scholarships every year. Winfrey explained the impact of scholarships when he said that college would be impossible if he wasn’t receiving any. Scholarships can make or break students attending college, and CC is in a unique situation to help its students as much as possible. With states providing less funding for higher education, it is even more impressive that CC offers so many scholarships. The U.S. Department of Education conducted a study that found from 2012-2018, state appropriations per fulltime undergraduate student fell 14.9%. With the decline of federal funding for colleges across the nation, students will have to be more financially conscious. Another aspect of CC that appeals to students graduating from a Casper high school is that they can stay in town for college. Staying local ensures that students who don’t want to move away from their families or who have limited income can stay home. “My entire family is here,” Winfrey said. “I don’t need a specialized school that costs a lot to get the degree I need.” A common misconception surrounding CC is that if students stay at home, they won’t get the full college experience. Students won’t have to move far away, but they will still have all of the experiences that they desire. For example, there are many school sponsored activities offered to bring students together. Students simply have to choose to engage. O’Connor explained the importance of attitude in regards to college. “It doesn’t matter where you go, but how you do when you’re there that sets you apart,” said O’Connor. — See staying local, Page 4 Photo Courtesy of Shawn Bush Shawn Bush shared a photo of him out doing what he loves, photography. �Page 2 April 1, 2021 CHINOOK Divine's Intervention: Chinook Stance “ Adderall abuse in college Julia Nielsen Just Julia In recent years, Adderall has transformed from being a prescription drug to treat individuals with ADHD, to a college student study drug commonly used for allnighters and late-night cram sessions. A certain subculture has developed within college campuses involving the drug and its perceived benefits to get ahead in one’s college career. Although abusing Adderall on college campuses has become somewhat of a trend, using the drug poses potential physical and psychological risks. Some withdrawal symptoms include insomnia, fatigue, paranoia, irritability, and anxiety/panic attacks. Many students view Adderall and other stimulant abuse as a solution to the pressures of academia, but these stimulants often mirror the same traits as cocaine regarding physical effects and patterns of dependency/ addiction. Adderall suppresses the appetite, increases wakefulness, and increases focus for attention. This poses as a miracle drug for college students that are running behind. It doesn’t take long to build a tolerance to Adderall though, and with this comes a certain amount of dependency. In certain studies Adderall abuse has been linked to other forms of drug abuse (alcohol, pain medication) and students that were taking Adderall had lower levels of performance regarding academics with many of them participating in frequent binge drinking as well. The stress of a college workload as well as the Adderall subculture makes it a hard aspect of college life to avoid. There have been many instances where students get addicted, accidentally overdose, or they experience burnout. This correlates with the pressure students feel to achieve in such a highly competitive environment. The rat race for certain internships, GPAs, admission into gradschool, and jobs after college poses a lot of stress for a young 20-something. A common justification for students is that it gives one a competitive edge. When it comes to the use of Adderall, usage numbers have skyrocketed. College students have the tendency to unwind from a busy week filled with lectures and homework with partying. Although a small dose of partying is healthy, I’ve seen all too many students develop an alcohol or stimulant addiction while attending university. Depending on who you surround yourself with, developing an depressant or stimulant type of dependency doesn’t take much time. In order to avoid stimulant or alcohol dependency, it takes a certain amount of self-control and self-awareness. As a young student, your health and state of wellbeing should be your biggest priority. A daily routine where you dedicate time for self-care, exercise, and meditation has copious amounts of health benefits. Health professionals need to stop giving out the prescription like candy and young adults need to prioritize their health and wellness. Helen Keller once said “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” My original goal for this article was to identify an appropriate quote on perseverance and building character out of crisis. This quote by Helen Keller certainly fits those parameters, and I could have written, I hope, a nice article on using adversity to fuel your ambition and resolve. However, as I conducted a little research " I told my students I would never pass judgement on their personal opinion of any of the issues discussed in class, as everyone is entitled to their own opinion." — Darren Divine, Ph.D., Casper College President to refresh my memory about Ms. Keller, I was reminded about the complexity of this historical figure. I was reminded of her advocacy for those with disabilities, her being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, and her election to the National Woman’s Hall of Fame in 1965. I was also reminded she was a self-described socialist, and supported the eugenics movement; both ideas that are very politically-charged in today’s society. Now let me be very clear: I am not condemning Ms. Keller for her political beliefs, or any of her personal viewpoints. Quite the contrary; I believe history has correctly and rightly viewed Ms. Keller as a woman and author to be revered and admired. I am; however, attempting to point out many people throughout history, those famous, those infamous, and those completely unknown, were complex individuals whom history could view in a multitude of different lights. As the movement to reexamine historical figures and ideas and evaluate them using modern beliefs and politics gains more traction in today’s society, the accurate historical nature of anyone’s character can be brought into question. When I was still teaching at the college level on a regular basis, I told my students I would never pass judgement on their personal opinion of any of the issues discussed in class, as everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But I was adamant they knew why they held that specific opinion. I used to say please don’t believe something just because some talking head on the nightly news told you so. I will update that to now say, please do not believe something simply because you saw it on social media. Information now comes at us all too quickly, and thus it is all too easy to become complacent and follow the crowd on hot-topic issues, instead of taking the time to research the topic, spend quality time evaluating how you feel, and coming to your own, personal opinion. Not the article I started out writing, but apparently once a college professor, always a college professor. https://www.caspercollege.edu/chinook/ Raising pigs: not easy but worth it Savannah Peterson Savannah's Swine Story Imagine with me -- it is a little after 12 p.m. and you just put a bred sow in the pen so she could have babies. You notice she has milk, which means baby pigs should start arriving within a few hours. On the other side of the barn, another sow is very antsy; she seems like she could also have babies soon. You are in for a very busy day. This was my reality one Tuesday afternoon in the pig barn. By 1 p.m., I was patiently waiting in the barn for the first mamma to start farrowing (having baby pigs). Finally, at 1:15 p.m. the first little baby arrived. I grabbed my towel, jumped up and started drying the newborn off. That day, I spent the next four hours at the rear end of the sow. She would have a baby, and I’d wrap the baby in a clean, dry towel to get him going. Once the little one was perky, I would teach it how to get milk by holding its little body up to encourage him to eat. Sooner than later, the baby stood up all by itself, eating away. By this time its 5 p.m., and the first mama sow has nine newborn babies lying next to her. All the pigs are happy and health. I, on the other hand, am worn out and tired. I looked to the other side of the barn and notice the antsy sow is thinking about doing the same thing.Within the next two hours, this new mom is sprawled out getting ready to farrow her first baby. I spent the rest of the night getting these new little baby pigs up and going. By 1 a.m. the next morning there were eight new babies curled up next to their new mama. All 17 newborn piglets were dried off, fed, and excited to start their new life. I shut off the lights in the barn and headed to the house, exhausted. I love bringing new babies into the world. There is nothing quite like holding a newborn piglet and encouraging him to catch his first breath, drink his first milk, or stand all by himself. However, I was so tired. As I walked to the house on that chilly night, the only thing I was thinking about was how comfy my bed was going to be and if any of the piglets would be the next county fair champion. The very next morning, as I started chores, I headed out to the pig barn. I opened the door and all of the little baby’s jumped up and ate. These piglets were less than 12 hours old, and they were already fendig for themselves. Over the next few week, I watched them grow. They all got bigger and stronger. At this point in their lives, their favorite things to do are eat, sleep and play. They spend many hours in the day running around their pen play fighting with each other. I could spend forever watching them. Raising pigs is never an easy task. However, the joy and excitement I find when I enter the barn is what makes it worth it. The hours and hours I have spent in the barn in the past five years can never fully be counted, but the thrill of each newborn pig is truly rewarding. Why are you at Casper College? Bryce Hindman Chinook Writer Casper College opened 75 years ago with only 156 students enrolled. Enrollment in the 19-20 school year reached 4,970 students total according to the Casper College website. While much changed in 75 years, one thing remained the same -- each student decided to attend CC. Since the inception of higher educational institutions, the number of people attending college continuously trends up. For example, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce, 75 years ago less than 2 percent of people in the United States graduated college. Today that number is exponentially higher, and it's natural to wonder why. Not only is the population as a whole seeking a college education, but students are also choosing CC. Why? Of course there’s the prospect of making more money, having a good job, and growing into a more educated capable person. But what are the deeper more personal reasons students at CC made this major life choice? What inspired them and motivated them to set out on this intellectual journey? The Chinook set out to find the answers. Q: Why did you decide to go to college and what events/ choices led you here? A: “Well at first I didn’t really want to go to college. I was unsure of what I wanted to do so all my classes felt sort of pointless, and I didn’t get very good grades. I mainly went because of my parents,” said CC student Chase Peterson. Our family has always been well off, and both my mom and dad have a good college education. I even thought about dropping out my first year, but my parents convinced me to try switching majors from computer science to something else instead. So I switched to studying graphic design, and I’m glad that I did. I’m actually gonna change majors again this year to engineering. I think I finally know what I want to do as a career and am looking forward to learning and getting started in my career.” A: “I decided to attend Casper College because of low tuition, and I wanted to be able to stay home and spend as much time with my family before I set off into adult life where I plan to move and have a job,” shared Caitlin Logan, CC student. A: “It was always an absolute that I would attend college. My parents never allowed an alternative narrative so I knew from a young age that after high school I would go to college,” said CC student, Emily Byrd. “My older sister did a lot of work researching the best Wyoming colleges and she decided Casper was the best. Based on her experience here, I agreed and came to Casper as well.” A: CC student Sierra McCoy shared her reasoning. “I decided to go to college because I would be the first in my family to earn a college degree. My mother went to college but never earned a degree, and my father was in the Army. The MLT program led me to Casper College. It is the only medical lab tech program in Wyoming, and I didn’t want to pay out-of-state tuition,” said McCoy. A: “A big reason I decided to go to college was to branch out socially and meet new people. High school didn't really give me all I needed for social connections,” said Sara Sleep, CC student. “Another reason was because I didn't want to be stuck in a dead-end job. When I say that, I'm not referring to lack of money, but rather a job that is stagnant and not enriching in any way. I wanted to set up a life where I felt like I was contributing to the world.” Q: What are your long-term goals/intentions in relation to going to Casper College? A: Peterson said, “Well I’m probably gonna go to CC for two or maybe four years. It’s a good school and it’s cheap, so I want to get everything I can from it. But as for after CC, I really want to design cars, so I want to go to a school that’s sort of known for that or has a good automotive engineering program. I was also thinking about studying abroad maybe in Japan or Germany. My dream job is to get on the Porsche race team so learning German is on the to-do list.” A: “My long-term goals I have set for myself while attending Casper College are graduating with a degree in nursing, always get good grades in my classes, and strive to become a better version of myself so that I am prepared to join the working society,” said Logan. A: Byrd said, “My long-term goal from attending Casper College is to gain a bachelors from UW-CC.” A: “In May I will be graduating with my associates degree,” said McCoy. With this I plan on getting a job & working in a medical lab for a year and then going back to get my bachelor’s degree.” A: Sleep said, “(I hope to) gain social skills and connections, enrich myself as a person (in terms of her perspectives), and set myself up for a life that I feel good in my place in the world” Q: What do you hope to gain from your experience at CC? A: I’m hoping to get a good foundation. I want to learn CAD here, I want to learn to wield, and I want to get a lot of math knocked out. I want to feel ready to dive head first at my next school. A: Logan said, “I hope to gain a good network of people by the time I graduate college, and I hope to gain a good foundation of knowledge to help me with my future career.” A: I hope to gain practical experience that I can relate to my job in the future, I also want to find a degree track that I am passionate enough about that I enjoy studying it,” shared Byrd. A: “(I hope to gain) social experiences (with friends and gatherings), knowledge about subjects I care about, (and) people skills,” said Sleep. Q: What have you gained from your experience at CC? A: “So far just an idea of how college differs from high school. I’ve also made lots of friends, which is always nice,” said Peterson. A: “So far as a sophomore, I have gained a lot of knowledge from the classes I have taken, and I have also gained the great skill of time management because that is very important in life,” Logan said. A: Byrd: “I have gained a major that I enjoy that I think is practical,” Byrd said. “My professors have influenced me to find my passion for my major and to use that passion to further my education.” A: “I have gained so much from my experience at Casper College,” said McCoy. “I have made lifelong friends & met many people I wouldn’t have associated myself with before attending CC.” A: Sleep said, “Friends, knowledge, and just general enrichment of life” These answers show that while every situation is different and every person is different, each of these students share one common thread. They are each enrolled at CC, and they have goals, aspirations, and the desire to grow. These students are in college in order to open doors into careers and better lives. With 75 years of history and tens of thousands of success stories, CC is a place where people can go to better themselves and create a better life. �April 1, 2021 Page 3 CHINOOK Appreciating campus Casper College like you've never seen it before Bryce Hindman/Chinook Next time you want to clear your mind or study no need to go home, look around you. Creative productive thought require the right environment, and Casper College offers exactly that. Oral Presentaion and Communication Center Conquer your fear of public speaking Po li sh yo u r c C re ate p ommu n ic at io n s k il ls To book your appointment online or in-office Bri Weigel brainne.brasher@caspercollege.edu call 307.268.2375 r a l p re s o f e s s io n e n t a io n s Learn organizational skills Join our the Chinook staff this fall! Take Independent Publications for a minimum of one credit. Interview Write Take photos Design Sell advertising Contact faculty advisor Bri Weigel (Brasher) brianne.brasher@caspercollege.edu https://www.caspercollege.edu/chinook/ �Page 4 CHINOOK April 1, 2021 STAYING LOCAL ...................................................................... continued from page 1 Additionally, the college is determined to ensure that the school provide a wide array of activities that appeal to many demographics of students. To do so, CC offers 35 different clubs and organizations on campus. Amidst the copious amounts of activities are small class sizes that encourage the development of relationships between professors and students. In fact, according to the Community College Review website updated in 2021, the teacher to student ratio is 16:1, which is lower than the state community college average. Finally, CC offers quality education. College Consensus, a platform that combines data from many different college ranking institutions and student reviews, released a list of the top 50 community colleges in 2021, and CC is ranked number 17. O’Connor explained that CC is often looked at as a letdown when it is the complete opposite. He stated that the school is a great foundation school, meaning that students do better if they start in Casper and then transfer someplace else. “People call it a safety school,” O’Connor explained. “That rhetoric is so harmful, and I want to change it from a safety school to foundation.” The idea that CC is a great place to build off of is not uncommon. Winfrey outlined how CC helped further his higher education when he explained that getting an associates degree meant graduating with a bachelor’s degree without debt. “Locking in an associates at CC is the smart move,” Winfrey stated. “I don’t understand why more people aren’t taking advantage of it.” Choosing a college is a major undertaking for seniors fresh out of high school. With over 5,000 different colleges in the United States, debt, accessibility, and quality education definitely influence the decision. CC is a fine choice for anyone enrolling in college, and if it stays on the same track, more Casper seniors will stay at home for college. Eskam added that the school offers many services to provide aid for students, but she said she worries that students aren’t told about the services the school provides. “I have a great team that likes to help,” said Eskam, referring to assistance with applying for scholarships and financial aid. The Department of Student Services office helps support students already attending CC, but they try to help incoming freshman too. The Student Services office holds different events to encourage students to apply for scholarships, government aid, and other financial aid services, like the FAFSA Filling Frenzy. Eskam admitted that she wishes more students would reach out to the financial aid offices at Casper College but understands that money is a sensitive topic and financial aid can be scary. She encourages every student to use all the resources CC and the government provides for students. Eskam wished to remind students that the staff at CC are ready to help. Eskam stressed that real people want to help students at CC, and the college also utilizes online resources to provide assistance to students. Brittony Rietz, former Casper College student who now goes to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas said, “I’ve been to multiple schools and only Casper College has a tool like the scholarship portal. I wish UNLV had the scholarship portal. (The scholarship portal) made filling out scholarships way easier.” Now at UNLV, she said she recognizes the dedication the CC staff have to the students. She recalled that whenever she had a question and called the Student Services office, they provided an answer for her or directed her to someone who knew the answer. She said she now struggles with getting answers at UNLV. Rietz currently gives financial advice to underprivileged students at UNLV and encourages her classmates to know that, “If you want to go to college, you can!” Both Rietz and Eskam agree that there is a scholarship for every type of student. That the best way to pay for college is to apply for any government or school aid available. Eskam said don’t be afraid to find work on campus. Jobs on campus put school first and work around a student’s schedule. Eskam added that another option may be to become a Residence Assistant at CC. While working as a Residence Assistant, a student is provided room and board and two options for meal plans, both completely paid for while working as a RA at the college. If you are a student who needs to focus on studies during school, working a job during the summer to pay for school is an option too. CC is full of help, not only in a financial sense, but also with any problems students come across in their day-to-day lives. CC is a good place to start with low loan rates and access to help, but with options like University of Wyoming at Casper, Casper is also a place to work towards a bachelor’s degree. Many people at CC want to see students succeed with as little debt as possible. CC may be a small school, but the benefits of attending the school are big. CC experiences COVID-19 CC heroes of financial aid Savannah Peterson Chinook Writer For the past year, students and faculty at Casper College endured the affects of COVID19. Last spring, the college went to all online classes, which meant that everyone adapted to a new normal. This new normal required a big shift in education. Teaching in a pandemic proved challenging professors at CC and across the country. Instructors learned different programs to successfully teach students online, and many had to learn how to use technology on the fly. “In my small world, we have really learned how to use the strengths of each other to grow,” said Teresa Sticklin, a Mathematics professor at CC. Sometimes, relying on one another meant teaching colleagues how to use different types of technology to better educate students. Other times, Stricklin said the department worked together to teach classes while faculty quarantined. When CC went back to face-to-face classes in the fall, things still did not return to normal. Many professors implemented online teaching practices into the face-to-face classes in order to accommodate students in quarantine. “I’ve had to adapt by accommodating students who should be in face-to-face classes but are not able to be in face-to-face classes because they are quarantined,” said Stricklin. Stricklin learned how to shoot videos, run Moodle, and use Zoom, which helped her and other professors reach students unable to physically attend class. “I feel like I gained a lot of knowledge and experience in how to connect with students virtually that I did not have before,” Stricklin said. aper sp Casper NewCollege’s k o line o in On ChStudent Now Voice Since 1945 Despite having to learn new ways to teach, Stricklin said her biggest challenge came in staying positive. She said she hopes her work to maintain a positive outlook helped encourage her students to stay engaged in their school work. The pandemic challenged student’s emotionally. Quarantined in October after she tested positive for COVID-19, freshman Jules Smyth said she found the experience hard to manage. “I was in an isolation room by myself and it really sucked,” Smyth said. “Having no human interaction really made me emotional.” Along with being stuck in her room by herself, students in quarantine were only granted a little bit of time outside each day. Smyth said she was also grateful that the college delivered food. However, being a picky eater, some days she said she did not get much to eat. In terms of academics, Smyth’s teachers still helped her succeed. “When I got quarantined a lot of the school had gotten quarantined, so a lot of the teachers had already started putting video up.” While Smyth said she found it harder to complete homework and tests, she said she did not ever see a big threat to her grades. Smyth was not the only one who struggled during quarantine. Stricklin watched a lot of her students be overwhelmed. “I cannot image the feeling... that feeling that nobody wants to be around me... that alone had to psychologically be challenging,” Stricklin said. When Smyth’s two weeks concluded, she said she felt very excited to be free again. But, looking back on her two weeks in isolation, she would advise others to find things to keep them busy, stick to a regular sleep schedule and get a roommate so you are not alone. Kayla Jones Chinook Contributor Current Casper College student loans average far lower than students across the nation, which may lessen the burden for students worried about debt. Businessinsider. com reported that student debt is one of the top three stressors college students face along with stress in general and alcohol abuse. They also reported that student loan debt is a nearly 2 trillion-dollar problem in the United States. Local students have averaged a loan of about $5,266 per year or around $10,532 after two years, according to collegefactual.com. Such a figure makes CC all the more appealing for students hoping for lower student debt. Lower student debt at CC is not a new trend. In 20182019, CC students averaged $4,911.64 in loans taken out. In comparison, according to aplu.org, 78% of graduates were under $30,000 in debt by the time they graduated with a bachelor’s degree from a public, 4-year institution. For a local comparison, the average loan per year at University of Wyoming – that state’s only four-year institution -- is $6,164 per year, making loan prices higher than those at CC. Lower loan rates are not the only benefit at CC. The college also puts forth many events and programs to help with the financial aid process. The Gateway Building is largely dedicated to helping students with their finances. Shannon Eskam, director of student financial assistance, said, “Casper College is an untapped gem.” �April 1, 2021 Page 5 CHINOOK Thunderbird Sports Banding together through adversity Brendan Saunders Chinook Writer This year’s basketball season brought many challenges, but the Casper College men’s team learned perseverance. The 2020-2021 T-Birds started the season with adversity. The squad came together, and most of them had not played with each other prior to this season. When COVID-19 protocols delayed and shortened the season, the T-Birds used the time to their advantage by practicing with each other and gelling together as a team. Sophomore Peter Turay explained the situation at the beginning of the season. “Joining a new team is always tough, but everyone on this team is cool so it was easy adjusting and staying focused through it all. I just had to keep telling myself that it was still basketball at the end of the day, so I kept going,” said Turay. Sophomore Dathan Satchell also expressed the struggle in the beginning. “It was way different than last year. You had more freedom, a lot more organization last year, and we were practicing together all the time scrimmaging without any games. With the busy schedule and the quarantines, it’s been rough too because I haven’t been able to see my family in four months.” Despite these challenges, the T-Birds came together as a team and improved every game. With the season nearing its end, the T-Birds are over .500 with a 10-8 record to reward their work. Satchell noted a recent game against Laramie County Community College as one of their most impressive wins of the season. “We were down 14 or 15 points with four minutes left on the road with a hostile crowd, but we came together as a team and pulled off the comeback and won the game,” Satchell explained. Despite a season of ups and downs, the year also brought life lessons for these players who will remember this year and the hard work they put in to their sport. “I am TOUGH especially mentally, with everything from moving here and joining a new team to the protocols and the challenges,” said Turay. “I just trusted the process. We started out slow, but we trusted the coaches and learned every day.” Satchell also said this year helped him. “I learned to embrace my role and being in my role. Coach Shawn always says be great in your own world, so that’s what I try to do every day.” This season will end up a trying one that the T-Birds will look back on and remember the struggle and hard work they put in to come up with a winning season. With tournaments Brendan Saunders/Chinook and championships just ahead, we will be Moses Gordon drives to the rim in a recent game at Casper College. watching and rooting for the T-Birds. Lady T-Birds and the pursuit of perfection Brendan Saunders Chinook Writer Brendan Saunders/Chinook To the left, Kammie Ragsdale fires off a threepointer in a recent home game. Below, Joseana Vaz shoots on a fast break. Gaytan's Goals Elisa Ayungua Chinook Writer While the Lady T-birds didn’t have much of a fall season, the team’s spring season will look much different. Karla Gaytan, captain, sophomore, and goalie for Casper College’s Women’s Soccer program is dedicated to make sure the team finds success. The Wyoming native began soccer her freshman year of high school, and she’s now in her sixth year playing. Gaytan is a transfer student from Sheridan College due to the school cutting its athletics programs this past summer because of COVID-19. Gaytan said when CC approached her with an opportunity for to play, she took it. Just this year, CC welcomed the soccer program and with the new team comes players trying to figure out their roles. “I think I see myself as a leader and an enforcer of our team values and our team rules. Making sure that my teammates know our goal and keep that in mind through whatever we do, said Gaytan. Gaytan is also making sure she is building personal relationships and chemistry with her teammates by being empathetic, understanding, and seeing them off of the field. “I think we have a lot of fun. We like to compete against each other and make jokes and just genuinely have a good time with one another.” Even in the off season, Gaytan remains disciplined. She said she continued working towards ways she could better herself for the team. “Being in the gym, working out, going to the The 2020-2021 Casper College Women’s Basketball Team is on its way to achieving a perfect season in a far from perfect year. The team started practicing in August but didn't play a game until January. The Lady Thunderbirds stood together, as they work to achieve the ultimate goal, winning the Championship. The team looked in good form in the latest game against Central Wyoming College, routing them for a statement victory of 93-33 to show everyone they aren’t stopping at perfect. Head Coach Dwight Gunnare leads in the pursuit of perfection. Coach Gunnare praised this year’s sophomore class for setting the tone for the team at the beginning of the season and serving as great mentors to the freshman. Sophomores Emily Achter, Marija Bakic, Kammie Ragsdale, Kobe King-Hawea, and Natalia Otkhmezuri lead the charge. When asked about their most impressive win of the season they all agreed that Western Nebraska would take the cake. “Nebraska was a good one. We were down 7 to 8 points in the second half and came together as a team for a double overtime win in hostile territory,” Coach Gunnare explained. This season’s results are even more impressive when you add the fact that the Lady T-Birds had to do it with the uncertainties and challenges of COVID-19. This year’s sophomores had some experience with a normal season last year before the pandemic. Staying focused during these times proved difficult, especially for Kobe KingHawea who had to transfer from Gillette College because the school cut the basketball program there due to COVID19. Because of the pandemic, the season did not start until January when the season normally starts in October or November. Such a change proved challenging. The team made do by practicing and scrimmaging each other in the meantime. Natalia Otkhmezuri said one of her biggest challenges was staying in shape during quarantine. “I tried practicing inside while in quarantine, which was tough --Then trying to go outside for at least an hour to get some exercise. Also coming out of quarantine, there was a lot of risk for injuries. We saw a lot of my teammates getting injured,” said Otkhmezuri. During this challenging time, the sophomores all learned something about themselves. Bakic shared what she learned. “There is always going to be ups and downs, but you got to push through… If you really want something you can get it with hard work.” Ragsdale said relationships were most special to her. “…Growing as a player and as person. I got to meet new people and got to make a lot of new friendships,” Ragsdale said. Achter and Otkhmezuri said they will always have Coach Gunnare in the back of their heads screaming “Defense!” as it will also apply to the hard work they will put into life outside of basketball. The Lady T-Birds also have a bright future ahead of them with a promising freshman class exceeding expectation. Coach Gunnare noted freshman Joseana Vaz as one of the freshmen who really exceeded expectations. He said he is proud of all the freshmans’ work this year. We will be watching closely as the Lady T-Birds finish out the final games of the season and tournaments and witness their hard work in the pursuit of perfection. LH gym and just really working on my touches, even if it was by myself, and just really making sure I was preparing myself just as much as I could,” said Gaytan. Being that the team is a new bunch and doesn’t have a strong foundation of sophomores to show them the ropes, Gaytan said it’s going to be a little harder to get the team on the same page. “I am just really looking forward to our team coming together and developing chemistry as we play and being efficient with our passes and movement,” said Gaytan. “Me personally, I just want to be the best leader I can be and be a supporting teammate in the back as a goalkeeper.” Just as Gaytan is expecting a lot out of her team, she knows that the coaches are too. “I think the things that our coaches want us to focus on are the things that we have control over, which is really just going out, practicing hard, and playing hard and implementing all those things we learned,” Gaytan explained. COVID -19 kept the Lady T-birds off the field and in their rooms earlier this fall, as they had to quarantine several times. It made it hard for the team to have solid practices with everybody. Yet, now that the situation is better and so are the protocols. “For the most part, I think soccer is still soccer. It just becomes a little bit more complicated with some of the rules we have to follow,” said Gaytan. Gaytan said she saw the setback created Elisa Ayungua/Chinook by the pandemic as an opportunity to become Sophmore Karla Gaytan poses for a picture amid the 2021 spring soccer season. adaptable to unexpected challenges. �Page 6 April 1, 2021 CHINOOK Theater Department prepares for “Bright Star” Julia Nielsen Chinook Writer Casper College’s theater department is working on a production of “Bright Star”, set to open on April 22. “Bright Star” is a tragic story of love and loss resolved by a joyful ending. The production involves freeform bluegrass music with local piano, bass fiddle, banjo and violin musicians featured. The story follows a mother, Alice Murphy, throughout the 1920s and 1940s, on her search for her long-lost son after he is put up for adoption against her will. Miranda Pacheco, a musical theatre major, who plays one of the main roles as Margot Crawford, is looking forward to the quality of the music as well as the music’s differentiation from the norm regarding traditional “big band” music routinely used in these kinds of productions. The first Broadway album for “Bright Star” was nominated for a Grammy for its bluegrass music in 2016. Pacheco reached out to two of the “Bright Star” broadway cast members and they plan to zoom into CC’s production to watch opening night. “They both have extensive acting credits and are qual- ity performers. We are excited about them zooming into the production because it connects what we do here at Casper College to the wider world of theatre and I love that,” said the production’s director, Richard Burk. “It puts the students in a position to recognize that they can be doing this. People who are on Broadway now were once sitting right where our students are sitting in a training program.” Burk and the production team cast the show just before spring break. They handed out the scripts, sent everyone on their way for the week, and began rehearsal the week after. The play is comprised of 14 cast members, all coming from different majors within Casper College, ranging from theatre majors to dance and fire science majors. Burk said informing students that aren’t theatre majors about upcoming auditions is a challenge, so he’s trying to invite more people across campus to audition for future productions. Pacheco developed the mindset that every audition should be seen as exciting, rather than a nerve-racking process. “I came out of my audition and said to my friends that it was one of the best auditions I had ever done in my life. I’ve been here for a year and some change now and it feels so exciting,” said Pacheco. “One of the reasons I started studying musical theater was because I get so immersed in the music, singing, dancing, and acting. So I can branch off into any of the four if I wanted. I’ve been singing since I was a kid.” Pacheco said she plans to transfer to the University of Montana Missoula to continue her career in musical theater after she graduates from CC. Steve Martin, who is a folk musician himself, and Edie Brickell originally wrote and composed “Bright Star.” The production’s origin traces back to a folktale called The Iron Mountain Baby. Burk mentioned that the folk-based music of the production will offer a different personality to the play with its “kindred spirit and get right into the audiences’ souls.” Although bluegrass got its roots in the Appalachian mountain region of the United States, bluegrass found a home in the West and Wyoming in particular. Both Burk and Pacheco are looking forward to the bluegrass aspect of the production, but they have a lot of work ahead of them regarding preparations for the play. According to Burk, there are students involved in every capacity, and they cre- Julia Nielsen/Chinook Pictured above is an experimental model of what is to be expected on stage of Bright Star and its suggestive set. ated a great family atmosphere together. With rehearsals occurring every night of the week except for Sunday, set building, learning the music, and all of the other responsibilities of a production at the forefront, there is a lot of preparation to consider. The entire cast is excited to put on this production for the community. Pacheco noted that rehearsal is her way of unwinding from a busy day of work and school combined. “We are going to build the set out of palettes, and our walls will fold and unfold to create different environments with ease. Basically, it’s going to be a suggestive set,” said Burk. The theater department will sell tickets at about 25% capacity since they are required to keep social distancing measures in mind. Ticket sales will begin two weeks before the production’s opening night. “Ruminating on Childhood” Graduate unveils series after eight years Rachelle Trujillo Chinook Writer Photo courtesy of Angela Beeson Wallace Angela Beeson Wallace poses with her piece, “The Happy Moments of the Swing”. Wallace’s “Ruminating on Childhood” series contrasts moments of her childhood with moments of her adult life. Angela Beeson Wallace graduated from Casper College in 2011 with an Associate of Fine Arts (FAF) and a passion for creating. Wallace said she enjoyed her years at CC, and credits much of her growth as an artist to her instructors, namely Justin Hayward and Mike Keogh. After graduating, she transferred to the University of Wyoming where creative differences in her department guided her down a new path: freelance work and a museum studies degree. “If I could never paint again, I want to work alongside artists and creatives. I want to support them and deal with art history,” Wallace said. For the past few years, Wallace said it seemed as if she left her days of creating behind her. That was until Art 321 contacted her to do a showing at the gallery, and Wallace had the perfect pieces for the event. “I started these pieces seven, eight years ago and had always imagined them displayed at Art 321, but (I) had just never had the opportunity,” Wallace said. “When they contacted me, I literally dusted the paintings off to finish them. The edges are painted black to cover up the dust that remained.” Wallace went on to describe the showing as “serendipitous.” The show is something of a sequel to a series she previously finished called “Imprecise Memory.” Now, “Ruminating on Childhood” deals with “precarious moments” from Wallace’s childhood in comparison to her personal life during the process of creating. The series comprises three impressive, six-foot tall oil paintings. One piece, “Madonna of the Basilica Superga,” consists of a woman holding an infant wearing red, which represents Wallace herself with her mother. The next is again of Wallace but this time with her brother and the girl next door painted in the style of a royal portrait. The piece is appropriately named “Portrait of Well Dressed Children.” The third and final piece is entitled “The Happy Moments of the Swing”, and features a child swinging high above a city landscape. Wallace attributes her style to her interest in art history, and the minute details and essence of her paintings make her influences evident. Without Casper College, Wallace said she isn’t sure she would have pursued art. Her mother attended CC during Wallace’s middle school years, so she spent many hours with her mom in the art building. “Mike Keogh helped my mom and let me tag along. If it wasn’t for the instructors back then and my mom’s enthusiasm, I wouldn’t have made it to where I am today,” Wallace said. “Ruminating on Childhood” on display at Art 321 closed March 31, but art continues to be displayed year round. Art 321 is located on Midwest Ave., and is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Not only is stopping in free of charge, but it’s also a fantastic way to support local artists like Wallace, as well as the Casper community as a whole. �April 1, 2021 Page 7 CHINOOK Moms share experiences as non-traditional students Kaylen Kott Chinook Contributor Abbie Cornett and Megan Fleetwood, who are both fulltime students and mothers to three children, gave detail of their higher education experience of at Casper College. With juggling their education and constructing their lives around the daily activities of each child, continuing their education at a later age made the college experience more demanding. Through this period of their lives, both Cornett and Fleetwood prioritize when to do college courses, juggle work schedules, and maintain extracurricular activities. Cornett, a science major, is attending CC to further her education and ultimately meet requirements to work as a certified Medical Lab Technician in Douglas, Wyo. As a lab technician, Cornett said her role in the hospital will consist of drawing blood from patients and taking specimens to analyze blood and essentially diagnose diseases, disorders or infections that could exist within the patient. She is enrolled in eight courses that occupy most of her day while her children attend school. Cornett said finding the time to complete school work is a challenge, especially since all of her children participate in afterschool activities. With travelling to Casper on the weekends and attending labs for eight hours at a time, she said there is little time for rest. “Children, on top of school work, on top of clinicals, on top of homework, hair and nail appointments, preparing dinner, doing housework, and after school activities like sports make it hard to find free time,” said Cornett. Cornett stated that there are no off days while getting her education. She works on coursework Monday through Sunday all day, otherwise she she said she would fall behind. She developed a routine to ensure that each task is completed so she can continue moving forward. With a busy schedule, she dedicates weekends for activities she finds enjoyable. She stated that when she feels overwhelmed, having her children and husband’s support gives her a reason to keep pushing and the motivation to stay strong. Because college is only a temporary commitment, Cornett said her family understands the importance of activities that consume her time and she can fulfill her goal of holding a position in the hospital. When asked what experiences made her college career more valuable, Cornett stated that meeting new people, reaching the point of hands on tasks, and the impact that her teacher built through every course motivated her to fulfill the career she desired. Fleetwood, who is majoring in Elementary Education, related to the same hardships. With having two jobs, one at Casper Gymnastics Center and the other at Glenrock Recreational Center, finding time to complete 12 credit hours has taken a toll on her ability to find free time to do homework. She stated that transporting her kids to and from school, extracurricular activities and finding time to do coursework was one of the most challenging aspects. “Trying to manage my three children, getting them to and from school and preschool, because that breaks my day up into two-hour increments, and then trying to figure out when I am going to do all my homework is the most challenging part of my day,” said Fleetwood. She is attending CC to complete the few credit hours required to obtain her associates degree and if she chose not to return and finish her degree, she would lose the previous credits she already completed through the college. Megan works with children at both occupations, so she found that if she received a degree in elementary education she will learn more and feel more moti- vated to finish school. Fleetwood is faced with struggles during the day while her youngest child is not attending preschool. When doing coursework at home, becoming distracted by her child’s needs makes it more difficult to consistently complete assignments. She claimed that she handles the stress of constant interruption and a busy schedule well, but when she can no longer focus on certain tasks that require a timed deadline, becoming overwhelmed is a common reaction. In order to avoid situations where stress can occur, she works around her child’s designated schedules. Fleetwood said that certain days of the week, like Mondays, are to help her recharge and prepare for the upcoming weeks work. When asked what she would change about her college experience, Fleetwood said she wished that on campus courses fit into her schedule. She felt that the learning process would be easier for her to understand material and online courses demand more homework where in class participation is more beneficial for her desired learning style. Fleetwood states that in an environment where there is room to ask questions and communicate in a face to face setting, learning material is more constructive compared to online learning. Fleetwood gave advice for college students who have not yet experienced what attending college or fulfilling the responsibilities of a full-time student is like. With knowing the struggles that college integrated in her life, she found that putting herself first was not always a selfish act. “I think the bottom line is, if your true desire is to actually continue your education while you have your family, you just really have to make the time for yourself, which is really hard to do,” stated Fleetwood, “especially when you are used to putting everyone else first.” Submitted photos Pictured above is Megan Fleetwood and her family. Pictured to the left is Abbie Cornett and her family. in the Student Success Center on campus. April in Paris Coming soon at Tobin Dining Hall Coq au vin, French onion soup, Eclairs Casper College Dining Spend your flex dollars and T-bucks before the end of the semester Use flex dollars for snacks, drinks, or meals T-Bucks and flex dollars will NOT carry into the fall semester �Page 8 CHINOOK t H e wor ld n ee ds April 1, 2021 mor e cow boys. Start in Casper. Stay in Casper. Courses, degrees and programs offered right here! LOCATION: 435 Union / University Building on the Casper College Campus CALL: (307) 268-2713 VISIT: http://www.uwyo.edu/uwcasper/ � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Chinook Student Newspaper Online Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 2019-2026 Type The nature or genre of the resource Text; image Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Casper College Chinook Student Staff Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Chinook Student Newspaper, CCA 08.i.2023.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA 08.iii.2023.01_Chinook_Digital Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Online Chinook Newspaper 2021-04 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 2021-04 Description An account of the resource This is a copy of the online Chinook Newspaper from April 2021. Type The nature or genre of the resource Text; image Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Casper College Chinook Student Staff Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Chinook Student Newspaper, CCA 08.i.2023.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA_08.i.2023.01_2021-04 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF