https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/ec3342c95c6ed5aff2567434c5763dbc.pdf 5b2285d7c6c3d52372798ffb78e4f5d0 PDF Text Text November 1, 2021 Casper College’s Student Voice Since 1945 "Mama Mia" Musical finds success Brendan Saunders Chinook Writer Casper College’s first play production of the year is “Mama Mia!” directed by Kurt Stone opened October 14. The musical stars Andrea Sipe as Sophie Sheridan, and the plot follows a daughter on the days leading up to her wedding when she finds out that she might have three possible fathers. She then invites them all to the wedding in hopes that one of them can walk her down the aisle. With production nearing its final week the play proved a big success for CC, as tickets for “Mama Mia!” sold out multiple times since opening night. Shane Trottier, who plays Eddie in the play, made his return to the stage after almost two years away. He stopped participating in productions after his senior year of high school, and Trottier said his work on “Mama Mia” couldn’t have been a better return. Trottier said he found playing Eddie a a fun character to play and a really fun experience. “In my opinion he was the most minor of all the leads and it gave me more of an opportunity to establish him as a character. Which was a fun challenge,” said Trottier. With a very talented cast and crew working on the film, Sipe’s performance caught the eye of everyone including Trottier who complemented Snipe with high praise. “She seems most likely to play a part on Broadway,” Snipe said. “Mama Mia” wrapped on October 23 with a sold-out Saturday Matinée. Under Stones’ direction and the amazing performances from the crew, “Mama Mia” resulted in great success for CC. Brendan Saunders/Chinook No 'home for the holidays' for some Kaley Pieper Chinook Writer International Students at Casper College are often unable to go home for the holidays because of the price of travel and a limited amount of time. For these students, staying in the dorms while their friends and teammates travel home during Thanksgiving break can seem long and boring. Ayrton Albornoz is a journalism major on the soccer team at CC, and he is originally from Santiago, the capital of Chile. Albornoz is in his first semester at CC, and his time in college marks his first travels to the United States. “At the beginning, it was… complicated. My English is not good, but I am improving, and it is getting easier. With Americans it’s too complicated,” Albornoz said when asked how he was adjusting to the new country. In Chile, Albornoz said Thanksgiving is not celebrated, and he wasn’t even aware of the American holiday. “We have holidays in December, January, and February because it is summer in Chile,” said Albornoz. Albornoz is staying in Casper for the upcoming Thanksgiving break. Though breaks from school can feel long and boring away from home, Albornoz said he tries to make the most of his time. “I try to visit places. During fall break, three of my teammates and I went to the mountain to hike. So during this break, I will try to visit places or walk around the city, maybe even go to Yellowstone,” Albornoz said. He added that he likes to walk around town when it isn’t too cold to learn new things about Casper and the U.S. Albornoz said he misses his parents, brother, and the rest of his extended family, and he can’t wait to visit his grandfather’s beach home with them all. However, he’ll have to wait to visit them. “I want to go back, but there isn’t much time, and the tickets are expensive. So my family and I decided to wait for May of next year,” said Albornoz. Priced through American Airlines, the trip departing out of Casper and arriving in Santiago for the Thanksgiving break would cost nearly $9000 round trip with about 22 hours of total travel time. For Jules Symth from Roblin, Manitoba in Canada, the trek back home isn’t quite as far. “It takes about 14 hours to drive. In the summer, I can Cast performs "Does Your Mother Know" during rehearsal for Casper College's production of Mama Mia. make it in a day, but in the winter it takes two depending on how roads are.” The Canadian sophomore, who is majoring in animal science and ag-business, said she went home with her boyfriend who lives about three hours from Casper for last year’s Thanksgiving break, and she plans to stay in the states again this year. “I wouldn’t have been home for that long, so it wouldn’t have been worth it. That’s a lot of driving for only being home for three days. Plus Canadian Thanksgiving already passed,” Symth explained. In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated on Monday, Oct. 11 this year. Although very similar to Thanksgiving in the U.S., Canadian Thanksgiving isn’t as large of a celebration. Symth said, “We don’t have a big football game to surround it with, so that’s part of it I think. Usually, if we don’t get together with family, it’s not a big deal.” For students who are unable to go home during Thanksgiving Break, the International Students Club often hosts activities on campus for them to enjoy. Erich Frankland has worked Photo courtesy of Ayrton Albornoz Ayrton Albornoz, a Casper College student from Chile, shared a photo of him playing soccer — See International, Page 3 before coming to the states to play for the T-Birds. Keeping higher education in the family Abigail Landwehr Chinook Writer Photo courtesy of Chris Lorenzen Nicholas Mesecher, the enterprise systems administrator at Casper College, hugs his son Ethan Mesecher after presenting him with his diploma at the CC 2019 graduation ceremony. In most college graduation ceremonies, the graduate will hear their name called and then cross the stage to shake hands and accept their diploma from the school’s president. However, such a process isn’t quite the case for all students. Children of Casper College faculty or staff members have the option to receive their certification from their parent on graduation day. This was the occasion for Ethan Mesecher and his dad, Nicholas Mesecher, the Enterprise Systems Administrator at Casper College. “I got the opportunity to hand Ethan his diploma,” Nicholas said about his eldest son’s graduation ceremony in 2019. “I loved it. It was a great opportunity and made me proud for him.” This isn’t the last diploma Nicholas will present to one of his children though. Behind Ethan, eight more Mesecher kids wait in line to receive their own diplomas. “We have nine kids and in my eyes, it's a very important thing for the kids to be able to get a good, higher education,” Nicholas said. “Casper College is such a great spot to get, you know, get your education started… and when you're a full-time employee for the college and your kiddos get free college.” Of the nine, 16-year-old Anna Mesecher, started in CC’s health science program this fall. “For the most part we get along really well,” Anna said of her relationship with Nicholas. “I wouldn't say that I've ever really gotten fed up with him.” It’s a common sight to see Anna working on schoolwork or spending time in her dad’s office after her classes are over for the day. Regardless of how much time the two spend together though, Anna said they both are pretty fond of each other. “I mean, I feel like he’s kind of the same person at work that he is at home,” Anna said. “He’s just like always helping people out, always on top of things. It's just kind of cool to see him apply the stuff that we do at the house to keep everything organized, but at work.” Alongside Anna, her brother Isaac Mesecher is also in attendance on the CC campus. Isaac, in his last year at the college, followed closely in his Nicholas’ footsteps by pursuing a computer degree similar to his dad’s. “All I have to do is pay for the books,” Nicholas said. “It makes perfect sense to have your kid go through and get that education…a huge benefit as an employee.” Additionally, Nicholas said five of the nine kids are adopted, which provides another opportunity regarding — See Family, Page 4 �Page 2 Chinook Stance Divine's Intervention: A Mindful Minute Rachelle Trujillo Rachelle's Reflections The onset of the Coronavirus pandemic brought about much needed conversations about mental health, loneliness, and getting support. Even though the pandemic is coming to an end, I firmly believe these conversations should not. College-- whether in or out of a pandemic-- is a stressful time filled with major milestones, pivotal moments, and overall massive change in an individual's life. Something we all need to be a little more conscientious about is the state of our well-being, and taking care of our heads and hearts. I’m learning that young adulthood is all about embracing chaotic and rapid change, be it with friends, romantic partners, life goals, or even personal beliefs. In the midst of so much change, it can be easy to lose sight of ourselves, and cause us to ask “who am I?” The problem is that it’s difficult to know who we are right now; we’re going through so much and quickly progressing into a new or varied version of ourselves everyday. I think more important than finding ourselves is learning to be okay with the person we are while working towards the person we want to be. The only way to do this is to practice self compassion. I find that my problems or the drama in my life are not like high school-- the issues I face with loved ones, at work, or school can have big consequences if not addressed properly. And when you fail to address these issues properly, it’s easy to blame yourself and question your character. Similarly, it’s easy to be at such a crossroads in your life that imagining the worst case scenario becomes second nature. There’s simply so much going on that life can often feel overwhelming and hard to manage. We all need to be working a little harder to show more kindness not only to others but also ourselves. When things get overwhelming, remind yourself of your physical state and safety- that you are healthy, not in any immediate danger, and overall okay. Everything else can be worked out. Spend as much time focusing on the best case scenarios as the worst case scenarios because they’re both possible. Ask yourself who you want to be in 5, 10 or even 20 years, and decide if what you’re doing today is helping you get to that place. Most of all, we must learn to be comfortable with what’s uncomfortable. We’re going to make big mistakes, lose people we love, and make bad decisions. In dealing with it all, remember your feelings aren’t right or wrong or good or bad. They’re simply a part of being human, as are all the other highs and lows that come with this time of life. Take time today to be kind to yourself, allow for the changes that come, and spend time with those who matter most. November 1, 2021 CHINOOK “ As I sit and write this month’s entry, outside it is a cool, windy fall day in Casper. It is hard to believe we are already at the end of October, and the Holiday season is right around the corner. I hope the semester is going well, and you have had an opportunity to enjoy some the things our campus has to offer. In particular, I hope you have had a chance to attend one of the many arts events already held on campus, and cheer at a volleyball or soccer game. Truly there is much to see and do on campus, and those opportunities only become more frequent the closer we get to December. As we move towards the end of the fall semester, this is a good time to remind everyone the spring semester will be here before you know it. Oftentimes we find ourselves looking forward to the Holidays, and then enjoying them once they arrive, and only later realize we forgot to plan for anything after the Holidays. So now is the prefect time to start planning for the spring 2022 semester. Be sure to talk with a faculty advisor, or go visit the Student Success Center, and make sure you have you spring classes planned out so you can enroll just as soon as possible. Don’t let the prime classes get past you! Oftentimes we find ourselves looking forward to the Holidays, and then enjoying them once they arrive, and only later realize we forgot to plan for anything after the Holidays. — Darren Divine, Ph.D., Casper College President Settle in, pack it up... I’ve heard hundreds of roommate horror stories. Stories about always having to share the space with the roommate’s significant other, roommates who would secretly steal food and even from my mom, whose college roommate adopted a very hyper dog for their tiny studio apartment. Many shoes did not make it out of that building. However, no one really talks about what happens when your roommate just up and leaves. Less than a couple weeks into the semester, I received a text during class from my old roommate giving me a heads up that she was moving online and back home due to the pandemic and extraneous family issues. By the time I made it back to the dorm that after- noon, everything of hers was gone, aside from a few straggler boxes that didn’t quite fit in her car. Sitting in the half-empty room alone, I remembered thinking, “well what now?” That answer didn’t come until two weeks later, when I received a call from housing alerting me that I would be moving rooms and receiving a new roommate. Because of my new roommate’s requests and my own schedule, I wasn’t able to move my items until the beginning of the week. Meaning, I had a two-day period to completely up and leave my old room. I did my best to pack in between classes and work, but physically moving everything by myself was nothing less than a pain. The whole operation took me about six hours. I began the process of moving as soon as my classes finished in the afternoon and officially checked out of my old room and into my new one by around 7 p.m. that evening. Of the process though, the lack of communication from the college was what I found to be by far the most frustrating. And I had to move a very heavy mini fridge from the third floor to the backseat of my car alone. While the process of pairing roommates is based on availability, giving students notice of a new rooming situation ahead of time is a courtesy. Something as simple as reaching out to students whose roommates left and giving them a heads up of what to Abigail Landwehr Abigail's Approach expect going forward allows for more time to plan and make accommodations for moving items. It’s true that students will be frustrated with having to move regardless, but at least in my case, I would’ve found communication to make the moving process a little more tolerable and a little less of a horror story. www.caspercollege.edu/chinook Check Out the Digital Learning Center Students: Have you heard of MyCCMoodle? It’s the online space where your grades and syllabi live ... among other resources your instructor might share. The DLC makes sure you’re geared up to succesfully navigate the online portion of your courses. What we can do for you: 1. MyCCMoodle — including how to submit assignments, participate in forums, etc. 2. Zoom – become a pro Zoomer and feel confident attending a Zoom class meeting 3. Google Suite — Google Docs, Drive, GMail, etc. 4. Online tutoring — Sometimes we all need a shoulder to lean on and NetTutor has the perfect one! 5. Quite place to study - Crack open your books in the DLC. Draw on our walls. Use our computers. Eat our snacks. Teresa Millan Camille Cockrell Mike McLemore Drop by by Liesinger Hall, room 132 or contact us at 307-268-3882 or dlc@caspercollege.edu. Dave Siemens Don’t wait! Get your questions answered now. A MyCCMoodle app is coming soon! Tyler Sanner �November 1, 2021 International............ continued from page 1 Photo Courtesy of Jules Smyth Jules Symth shared a photo of her and her boyfriend. She will spend the holidays with him rather than traveling to Canada. Page 3 CHINOOK at Casper for 24 years and has been an advisor of the International Students Club since he came to Casper. “This is a bumper crop year for International students, this is the most we’ve ever had. The way it works is all international students are members. Some will be less active in the club than others.” Frankland explained. Frankland said that many international athletes have host families, and can spend the holidays with these families. “This gives students the traditional American Thanksgiving.” This year, however, club members came up with a new idea that brings in aspects of each member’s culture and home country. “The club this year proposed an International Thanksgiving. So the students are planning a potluck, with everyone bringing a dish from their home country, and we will be able to share those,” said Frankland. “We’ve never done this before. In the past, a board member has hosted it at their house, and students have had the American experience. But this is a truly international Thanksgiving with people from all over the world. Our students are coming from Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa, Canada, I mean everywhere except Antarctica!” The club plans to have this Thanksgiving potluck on Nov. 15 at 6 pm. Even though most international students are not able to go home for the holidays, there are opportunities for them to gather with others, and celebrate. Join our staff this spring! Practice interviewing & writing Take photos & design Learn sales & advertising Explore social media & promotion The Chinook is a one credit class, titled Independent Publications. Contact our faculty advisor Bri Weigel for more information brianne.weigel@caspercollege.edu College's men's soccer kicks off second year Rachelle Trujilo Chinook Writer After a highly successful debut last year, the Casper College men’s soccer team is back for its second season. Practice and games started in August, and the T-birds are off to a great start and with high hopes for what’s to come. Like last year, the men’s soccer team is made up of players from around the state, across the country, and around the world. Though the players come from diverse backgrounds, they all share a common goal of being the best team they can be, according to sophomore José Alvarez. This year marks Alvarez’s second year with the men’s team. The Colombian native said he was glad to be a part of the team, and is excited to see what comes next. “We lost three important games, two of them in a row,” Alvarez, who plays forward, said. “Everyone was frustrated, but finally after that, we won five games in a row securing the second seed in postseason play.” The men’s team received high praise in its inaugural year, and the team is putting in the work to make sure year two is no different. Being the second seed means the team is off to a strong start, but head Coach Ben McArthur emphasized how critical this point is in the season; if the team loses, the season is done. Luckily, players like Danny Diaz (M) of Casper and Drey Williams (F) of Canada scored goals for the team that positioned the men for a strong season, according to McArthur. “Those two scored two big goals for us a few weeks ago to win games vs Otero and Trinidad, those goals put us in position to host the first round this Saturday,” he said Outdoor fall sports can present weather challenges. According to McArthur, occasional storms and cold fronts make it difficult to get touches on the ball. Nonetheless, the good, sunny days outweigh the bad weather. McArthur said he is even more proud of his team for pushing through those uncontrollable adversities. “It’s never easy to battle mother nature and we’ve had a couple storms that have come in,” he said. “My guys have stayed focused and they are ready for the postseason. They have shown great focus throughout this season.” Besides the occasional weather conflicts, the men are off to a strong start. The T-Birds will host playoffs at Murane Field on October 23 at 2 p.m. starting against Northwest College. “Saturday looks like great weather,” McArthur said in closing. “We are hopeful that a big crowd will come to support us at the fields!” Photo Courtesy of Cory Garvin Sophomore José Alvarez dribbles a ball at a sunset practice earlier this semester Casper College hosts WRITING CENTER Green Dot program The Writing Center at Casper College is here to help our students and members of the community. Brainstorm possible paper topics Create a resume Craft a scholarship essay And so much more! Abigail Landwehr/Chinook Visit us in Strausner Hall, room 215 or visit the Writing Center Moodle site for additional resources and appointment scheduling! Contact: 307-268-2610 wco@caspercollege.edu Casper College's Residence Hall Area Coordinator, Jessica Bailey, presented during the Green Dot program on campus last week. Green Dot is a bystander intervention program. Abigail Landwehr Chinook Writer Casper College hosted a bystander intervention program, more commonly known as Green Dot, this past week. The hour-long workshop focused on addressing ways for students to intervene and prevent sexual assault, dating violence and stalking. Around 30 students attended the presentation held at the Sharon D. Nichols auditorium. “When you think of sexual assault, dating violence and stalking, these are big issues,” one of the program’s trained instructors, Corey Peacock, the director of student life at CC said. “60% of the folks in this room have directly, personally experienced one of these three issues. And almost everybody in this room knows someone who has experienced one of these issues.” Alongside Peacock, Jessica Bailey the college’s residence hall area coordinator also presented during the program. The workshop, sponsored by the Student Senate on campus, was a part of the “Thundering Through Barriers” series in which an important topic is discussed with students every semester. This semester’s topic focused on bystander intervention and sponsored the Green Dot program. Students were instructed on four steps to intervention during the presentation: to recognize the problem, to identify personal barriers, to intervene, and to strengthen positive campus community norms. “If the choice is between doing nothing to stop it and doing something at the minute, you’re making a difference,” Peacock said. “Of course we would like the issue to stop completely, but this shouldn’t fall directly on your shoulders.” �Page 4 November 1, 2021 CHINOOK Family..................................................... college expenses. Some states, like Texas, offer state college tuition waivers for fostered youth, meaning the tuition payments and fees can be waived for any Texas state funded school. Alongside this, attending CC remains an option too. “Five kiddos I really don't have to worry about paying for college at all,” Nicholas said. “I still told them that I would like them to go to Casper College first to take care of that first initial associate's degree and kind of understand what college is about a little bit before they decide what college they want to go to in Texas.” Nicholas added that regardless of how great he and the kids find the opportunity, educational choices are still left up to the individual child. Anna however, said that she found CC to be a good place to start her education. “I love being here,” Anna said. continued from page 1 “It’s really handy to not have to pay for all the tuition… I can save up so that when I want to go to university, I don't have to pay as much.” Specifically, Anna said she was looking at the possibility of finishing her degree at the University of Wyoming or other schools in Texas or Florida with good health science programs. In the more near future, Anna’s said she is anticipating her own graduation day from CC when she will cross the stage to receive her diploma from her dad. But for now, Anna said, “It’s just nice to have free rides to school every day.” Why do people choose community college? Isabella Coronado Chinook Writer Coming out of high school, students have a big decision on what they should do for higher education. Some people look at the cost, while others look at proximity, the environment of the school, or whether or not the school is a community college or a university. Everyone who comes to a community college has different life stories and what makes them interesting but they all have the same reasoning on why they wanted to attend a community college. Casper native and CC alumni Kenny Wilkinson . Wilkinson spoke about his past experiences attending CC and how it impacted his life. He first attended CC from the fall of 2002 to the spring of 2004 for Elementary Education. He then took two years off from school before deciding to go back to school through UW-Casper for his Bachelor's Degree and continued studying Elementary Education. He graduated in 2009. Wilkinson said he wanted to go to a community college out of high school because it was the cheapest option and he got a few scholarships to use towards the school. He wanted to continue living in Casper. In high school, Wilkinson said he had some friends that went to the University of Wyoming and whenever they would talk to him about it, their discussions didn’t make him excited to go to a university. “Hearing other students talking about how they had up to 90 kids in their class made me realize that I would have struggled if I went to a university,” Wilkerson said. “I would rather have the one-onone time with my professors and to make those relationships throughout college was great.” Currently Wilkinson is a 6th grade social studies/ general science teacher at Dean Morgan Middle School in Casper. He and his wife, Kayla, are parents to three children. Looking back, Wilkinson said he still believes high school students should consider going to a community college right out of high school. “For how much [college] costs these days and for me and I’m sure others, I needed a hometown type of feel,” Wilkerson said. “I enjoyed the smaller classes and building the relationships with my professors. I honestly don’t think I could have survived an actual university.” Another alumni from Casper College described her school experience in similar ways for choosing a community college. Stephanie Colling, also of Casper, is an alumni of CC that attended the school from 1993 to 1995 before transferring to Metropolitan State University in Denver, Colo. where she earned her bachelor's degree in physical education for K-8. She and her husband, Blaine, are parents to two children. She is currently teaching PE at Casper’s Centennial Middle, but she is certified to teach K-12. Colling said she moved to Costia, New Mexico when she was a baby but moved back to Casper as a sophomore in high school. When Colling attended CC, she said her mom had just passed away and she wanted to stay close to her dad while going to school. Colling also shared that earning a scholarship to play volleyball at CC came as somewhat of shock. She said juggling athletics while also getting school work done took a lot of time management. She compared playing volleyball to a part time job on top of school. Colling then talked about how going to a community college right out of high school impacted her life. “It was a good transition for me because I went from living at home to living in the dorms, and then moving to Denver where I was on my own without a lot of family around whereas I had family all around me while I was at Casper College,” said Colling. “It was just an overall good transition for me. It really helped me move to Denver to such a big city.” Like Wilkinson, Colling made part of her decision based on financials, but she also explained her unique reasons for choosing CC for her associates degree. Such decisions are still impacting current students. Kolbie Ericson from Lander, Wyo. is currently studying Social Work and Counselling at CC. She started at CC in the fall of 2020, and she plans on graduating from UW-Casper in the spring of 202. Ericson said she hopes to become a children's counselor or therapist. She talked about why she wanted to go to a community college rather than a university to accomplish her goals. “I like how personal the classes are and how small they are and the professors actually care about you here and your education. You’re not just a number to them,” Ericson said of the differences between studying at a community college compared to a university. Ericson also said she thinks the transition from high school to community college is much easier than jumping in at a larger school. Some of her favorite things about attending CC specifically include the class sizes and her professors. She said they care about everyone and always want to help students succeed and not give up. Despite the differences between Wilkinson, Colling, and Ericson’s stories, they all talked about why they thought community college was a great plan coming out of high school. All of the benefits that alumni received in college are still the benefits today's generation of students enjoy. Going to community college is something all three of these people do not regret after high school. They will always have stories of community college to share and maybe even pass along to their families later in life. Photo Courtesy of Stephanie Colling Stephanie Colling is a middle school PE teacher at Cenntenial Middle School teaching 6th through 8th grade. Photo Courtesy of Kenny Wilkinson Kenny Wilkinson currently works at Dean Morgan Middle School as a 6th grade social studies and general science teacher. Photo Courtesy of Kolbie Ericson Kolbie Ericson is a current student at CC that is in her second year of studying social work and counselling. Renewable resources at CC Paige Noble Chinook Writer Casper College relies on fossil fuels for transportation in an age where switching to renewable resources is becoming more common. According to an Investopedia article published in 2021, a renewable resource is an energy source that cannot be depleted by human usage and is able to supply a continuous amount of clean energy. People around the globe use renewable resources on a daily basis, but CC does not currently utilize renewables for transportation. With the current surge of Tesla and similar companies across the globe, the Chinook looked into why CC does not. Steve Armijo, the diesel auto mechanic crew leader at CC, explained the different types of transportation available for the college’s athletic programs and other school sponsored teams. Teams can choose from multiple passenger vans or three larger buses according to Armijo. However, the expense associated with college transportation adds up. “I’d say it probably costs $250 to service one of the buses. They take a lot of oil. I can tell you they get from eight to ten miles to the gallon. So very expensive and they hold about 50 gallons of fuel,” said Armijo. With a 50 gallon tank and diesel currently running about $4 a gallon, it costs about $200 to fill the tank every time. Each of the buses is recommended to have an oil change every 5,000 miles, but when the volleyball team, soccer teams, basketball teams and livestock judging teams traveling, the miles add up quickly. Armijo spoke about how the college manages the busiest time of the year. “It is usually three buses a week when everybody is running that is an average, sometimes two until fall break. Then it slows down. But after that it picks right back up,” Armijo explained. However the cost difference between renewable energy vehicles and fossil fuel burning vehicles is outstanding, and the school could potentially save thousands of dollars each year. Unfortunately, CC’s teams travel to very remote locations, making it almost impossible to an electric vehicle to be charged. Not only that, but with the weather the way it is in Wyoming the batteries would erode much faster than normal. Last year the livestock judging team took a bus to Nebraska where it was so cold the bus broke down and the team ended up with three different buses, all three of which broke after that trip. “It gets very expensive when one breaks down,” said Armijo. “Usually it is not an easy fix. I'd say an average for repairs on each bus without having to tow it would be about $3,000-$4,000 to fix.” In regards to his thoughts on making a change Armijo said, “I would like to see a change because it takes a lot of time when something (break downs) happen. If there was an alternative I would like to see an alternative.” Regardless of the fact that renewable energy is a cheaper alternative, as stated research by Driving Electric, the college cannot yet depend on electric vehicles to transport teams traveling across Wyoming and surrounding states. Enjoy a friendly game! NON-RENEWABLE VERSUS RENEWABLE COMPARING THE 2 TYPES OF ENERGY A natural fuel that is not quickly replenished. An energy source that cannot be quickly depleted. Coal: a fossil fuel utilized for heat production Solar: Heat and Light harnessed from the sun for energy Petroleum: An oil refined into things such as gas and diesel Wind: Electrical energy collected by wind turbines Open gym Thursdays from 7 - 11 p.m. Liesinger Hall Gym Natural gas: A naturally occurring gas used for fuel *excluding game days* HydroElectric: Energy collected from the flow of water https://www.britannica.com/science/coal-fossil-fuel �November 1, 2021 Page 5 CHINOOK Painting pumpkins at the Residence Hall Alaina Boettcher, an Resident Assistant at the dorms, explained that all the RA’s take turns picking an activity that all the students in the dorms can participaate in. It was her turn to pick an event, and she wanted to do something in relation to Halloween. She picked pumpkin painting. “I was very excited about this event,” Boettcher said. Students seemed to enjoy the event too. Flora Goed, a foreign exchange student, said she really loves Casper College. “I love all the activities we get to do. Like painting pumpkins, movies nights, etc. Every week there’s something to do,” said Goed. Pictured (left to right), Alaina Boettcher, Kodie Egle, Maddy Henry, Dallas Baker, and Kayla Jones. Erin Geldien/Chinook Maddy Henry and Dallas Baker painting pumpkins together. Erin Geldien/Chinook Above (from left to right), Celina Arnlund, Flora Goed, Mariona Cos, Jo Vaz, Sandra Frau, and Julia Palomo having a fun time during the pumpkin painting event. Erin Geldien/Chinook Flora Goed painting hearts along the top of the pumpkin she made for "the love of her life!" Locations/Hours Tobin Dining Hall : Mon—Fri Breakfast 7am—9am Continental 10am—11am Full Lunch 11am—1pm Grill/Salad 1pm—2pm Sat—Sun Brunch 11:30am—1:30pm Everyday Dinner 4:45pm—6:45pm SubConnection : Mon—Thurs 7am—6pm Fri 7am—3pm Leisinger Doornbos Lounge and Note Cards are available in all service areas if you would like to write a personal message for our staff. GW 3rd Floor: Mon—Thurs 7:30am—2pm Fri 7:30am—1pm Convenience to fit your schedule Your meal plan can be utilized for a Breakfast or Lunch Combo Meal at SubConnection, Doornbos Lounge and Gateway 3rd Floor locations until 2pm Monday thru Friday! �Page 6 November 1, 2021 CHINOOK Fitting and showing club manages livestock Audrey Axtell Chinook Writer The Casper College Fitting and Showing Club represented the college at the NILE in Billings, Mont, last month. Club members showed off the heifers they have been working on all semester in class. The Fitting and Showing Club at CC must take care of the show heifers on campus, from halter breaking, to fitting, to diet management. Professor Colby Hales, the instructor for this class, is responsible for all the livestock on campus. This is the second year Hales has taken students to the NILE as a professor for CC. Hales is a former student of CC, and spoke to the importance of having livestock on campus and how it benefits the students. “I am a die-hard believer that at a collegiate level, in order to further agricultural understanding, having livestock on campus and available all the times is extremely important,” said Hales. Hales is responsible for all the livestock on campus, from bringing animals to CC, to feeding schedules for students to follow. Hales spoke to the arrangements for the leasing of certain livestock on campus. Students work with the animals for a semester at a time before the animals are returned to their homes. “Specifically the NILE heifers this year come from Booth Angus Ranch, and we have two Herefords that are Mr. Hornecker’s,” Hales said. Heath Hornecker is also an ??? instructor at CC. Hales added, “In order for us to be able to use them, we pay for hay, and the individual who owns the heifers pays for the cost of feed.” The CC Fitting and Showing Club has changed the shows they travel to in the last decade. Hales said the changes benefit the students that participate in showing and caring for these animals. Before competing at the NILE, CC students used to travel to Arizona to show hogs. Hales says it’s much more difficult to find students to show in Arizona, since there is an age limit of 18. According to Hales, competing at the NILE in open classes allows all of his students the opportunity to show and participate, effectively removing the age limit. The agriculture department employs several work study students that participate in the care-taking and feeding sched- ules of the livestock. Libby Twitchell, a sophomore on the livestock judging team and an agriculture science major, is a work study under Hales’ direction. Twitchell explained how she takes careof the animals and what her job entails. “I feed the livestock Monday and Wednesday in the morning and at night. We’ve got cattle, sheep, sows and a boar all in the annex, and our show heifers and baby pigs in the pavilion,” said Twitchell. “We also take care of any health related issues with the animals, so if anything needs to be doctored or moved to the ranch we do that as well.” Twitchell spoke to the difference in feed the animals need depending on how students use the animals. Variations can occur in the brands of feed used to the amount of rations each species and breed needs. Hales explained some animals do not go to shows like the NILE, but they are still used. He said the CC Livestock Team uses all livestock on campus for practices, eliminating the need for travelling to see livestock for training as often. Having livestock on campus is highly beneficial for members of the livestock team, especially when the weather is bad or when students need to make it back to campus for classes. Students in the agriculture program seem to agree that having livestock on campus serves is the best way to learn animal science. Twitchell spoke to the benefit of these on-campus animals, both in terms of their use for teams on campus and also the connections students build with the animals. “It reminds me of home. I’m never going to get home sick -- livestock kids that come to college no longer have livestock around, and it takes a bigger toll on them than they think,” said Twitchell. “I don’t think it’s an option to not have livestock on campus. Livestock is so hands on. We can read a book, we can take notes, and listen to lectures on all this stuff, but how much do you really know until you can apply it”. The agriculture department at CC invites any students wanting to pursue a degree in agriculture to visit the pavilion and enroll in any ag classes that peak interest. Twitchell said the staff in the pavilion will never turn a student away, and she is proud of all the program offers. Audrey Axtell/Chinook Sydney Noel is pictured to the right showing a heifer at the NILE. Above, instructor Colby Hales works with a calf in the fitting shoot to show his class how to properly fit an animal. From the student's perspective: Parking on campus Cameron Magee Chinook Writer The Casper College parking problem is no stranger to students, faculty, or staff, especially towards the lower end of campus. Many find a shortage of places to park, and end up walking a fair if not far distance before reaching their destination. Kodi Christensen, an elementary education major, said she finds parking stressful. Not only does she leave her house early, but she also spends time driving around campus looking for a place to park and then factors in extra time to walk to class. “The parking lot to the east of the Liesinger Hall is extremely difficult to find a parking space in, and most of my classes take place in those buildings on lower campus,” said Christensen. She also mentioned that it’s difficult to find a space and arrive early or even on time to class, “It’s frustrating when I am trying to make good impressions with teachers or even classmates when I walk into class three to even 10 minutes late depending on where I had to park.” Christensen said she is not the only one who struggles to find parking, and she shared many conversations with her friends and acquaintances about the issue. “I have many friends at the Warner Ag Pavilion and parking at the Pavilion is rarely an issue. I wish we had the same level of ease when it came to parking on lower campus,” Christensen said. She then added, “It would be nice if all the teachers gave a grace period to get to class. My morning would almost be stress free if that was the case.” Audrey Axtell, an agriculture communications major, echoed what Christensen said. “Parking on campus is difficult for all students. The lower half of campus struggles and many students end up late to class. I wish it was as easy to park on the lower campus as it is on the upper half.” Construction on the Visual Arts Center, the closest building to Liesinger Hall, made parking even more difficult, as the work eliminated multiple parking spots. “The parking lot (at Liesinger Hall) is lacking parking spaces. Students looking for a space circle the parking lot at unnecessary speeds and spots should be downsized to add more room,” said Axtell. Christiansen and Axtell suggested some parking solutions that could be considered at the college to improve the situation for future college attendees. “I have a feeling that when they are finished with construction those parking spaces will be replaced. Until then (administration at) the Casper College campus should find a way to compensate for us having to be late almost every day,” Christensen said. “The college should communicate with their teachers about giving a five-minute grace period. I know that takes away from our class time but it would give student a fair advantage when it came to showing up to learn. Axtell shared a different take, however. “My one suggestion would be to repaint the parking lot with smaller spaces. You could most likely get almost five more spots if this action was taken. Casper College could also designate a faculty only parking lot in one of the above lots and then students would have a better chance of parking,” Axtell said. Both Christiansen and Axtell said they are aware of the possibility of parking on College Drive off campus. However, College Drive is not always an option either, as most of those spots fill between 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., according to Christensen. Many students need parking after 9:30. “Most students are aware of the situation; it just needs to be addressed by Casper College. Action if taken could help many students feel less pressure on those mornings (when) we feel like we have to move fast and furious,” Christensen said. �November 1, 2021 Page 7 CHINOOK On Fridays, we sign Indie Travels Anna Miller/Chinook A group of students recently gathered for a Friday Sit and Sign in Liesinger Hall's Doornbos Lounge. Anna Miller Chinook Contributor American Sign Language students and faculty gather for Sit and Sign on Friday mornings in Casper College's Liesinger Hall, a drop-in style get together where students can come and practice their signs while having a conversation in ASL. Usually about five to ten students attend, but there are groups as large as 18. The language department has been hosting Sit and Sign for six years at Casper College, and the gatherings are well received by students and guests alike. There are usually two or three deaf women who also attend. “It’s a warm and nonjudgmental space,” said Gail Schenfisch, an American Sign Language instructor at Casper College. “They can try sign language in communication and string everything together.” Sarah Scott, an American Sign Language major at Casper College attended every Sit and Sign so far this semester. She says she finds the meetings beneficial and the practice helps ASL stick with her since she is able to visualize it and apply the language in real conversation. The deaf individuals who attend help students by correcting their signs and helping students stay current, as sign is always changing. They are the leaders of the group and force the participation from students. “They ask us about our week and how school is going,” said Scott. “If there is a ten second moment of silence, one of them will ask us what our favorite animal is and we have to go around and sign (that animal).” Many benefits come from Sit and Sign. A wide variety of topics come up and there is a lot of diversity in the communication during Sit and Sign. High school students that are enrolled in ASL1 through BOCES also attend. They incorporate the vocabulary that ASL1 students are learning in the conversation to help them memorize their signs. “It is a practical way to use your skills to make them your own,” said Schenfisch. Sit and Sign is open to everyone, not just ASL students. Even if students only have one class under their belts, all are welcome to join and practice skills. However, Schenfisch doesn’t recommend the gatherings for beginners, but anyone is welcome to come watch and observe. COVID-19 made teaching ASL challenging for Schenfisch. ASL relies on a lot of facial expressions and lip reading. When the college mandated masks in 2020, it made learning ASL a lot more difficult for the students enrolled. Scott agreed that she had a difficult time signing because the mask covers half of the face. Students adapted by getting really expressive with their eyes and eyebrows. Schenfisch had her students start uploading videos so she could see their facial expressions. She is happy now that they are able to sign without masks, and she said the nice thing about ASL is that you can socially distance and still have a meaningful conversation. Scott said ASL made a difference in Scott’s life. She is able to use her sign language outside of school to help those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Scott said she helped a deaf couple at her church communicate with the pastor when they attended for the first time. She also helps customers while she is working. “I ask one of the deaf women at Sit and Sign ‘how do you sign this drink, or this drink’,” Scott said. She is constantly learning how to sign specific menu items to better help those who are deaf. Scott wants to become an interpreter for concerts or courtrooms. ASL is offered at CC for a variety of levels. Anyone is welcome to take a course to learn basic signs. Cameron MageeChinook Casper College's Cameron Magee recently travelled to Indianapolis for her role as Wyoming's National FFA Office Candidate. She shared photos from her trip. Magee said murals can be found all over the world, but Indianapolis has one on almost every corner, as shown above. Pictured below is an old Coca-Cola garage that has been restored into a food court. Foods of different ethnicities, an amazing atmosphere and good people fill the location found in the BottleWorks district, Magee said. Under the Coca-Cola garage photo is an image of a brick and mortar sign found at the entrance of a barber shop, located in the downtown area. Casper College redStone Recital and Gallery Series Baylee Darling/Chinook The Casper College redStone Recital and Gallery series is officially in its 9th season. It kicked off on October 8 in the Wheeler Concert Hall with an artist talk, followed by a recital including performances by many talented musicians and singers. This organization always does a wonderful job showcasing and bringing recognition to the visual and musical arts in the Casper community. To the left, Jennifer DePaolo (violin) and Gary DePaolo (viola) perform "While We Wait", an original piece by Gary himself. Baylee Darling/Chinook Above, Pianist Paula Flynn performs Consolation No. 3 by Franz Liszt (1811-1886). Baylee Darling/Chinook Above, Joshua R. Mietz (clarinet) and Paula Flynn (piano) provide instrumentals while soprano Veronica Turner sings "Der Hirt auf dem Felsen" (German: "The Shepherd on the Rock") by Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Baylee Darling/Chinook Ginny Butcher shares her oil-painting journey while displaying many of her favorite pieces, many of which display her favorite animal to paint, cows. � 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 2021-11 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. 2021-11 Description An account of the resource This is a copy of the online Chinook Newspaper from November 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_2021-11 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF