788 10 9774 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 https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/18902f1bb5510a64e2e4237728b5fe2b.pdf 50f27a6f4ce02027bbd0fa600047b036 PDF Text Text December 1, 2021 Casper College’s Student Voice Since 1945 Women's soccer team wins BIG Abigail Landwehr/Chinook The Lady T-birds captured the regular season conference championship, won the region Title game and advanced to the District Championship Game. The team eventually lost to the 3rd ranked team in the nation 1-0, according to Coach Ammon Bennett. Bennett said the team finished the season with a record of 13-5-1 (7-1) conference. The Lady T-Bird program ranked 14 nationally. Several players were named All-Region including Rebecca Swain, Valeria Hernandez, and Sophia Henly to the first team. Yissel Navarro, Madeline Hernandez and Grace Conner second team and Kylie Spangler Honorable Mention. Bennett was also named conference coach of the year. CC affected by inflation Whitley Reder Chinook Contributor Inflation rates recently increased in the United States, impacting Casper College students and staff. The inflation rate demonstrates the health of a country’s economy. Inflation happens when businesses are producing, consumers are spending, and supply and demand are as close to equilibrium as possible. Although, according to the Federal Reserve, the 2021 inflation rate is over two percent higher than the two percent target to maintain a healthy economy. Gracie Jarrard, an online student at CC said, “I’m a student that lives off-campus, I need to work two jobs, starting this last fall, just to keep my head above water.” The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics listed the increased rates of commodities over the past 12 months, as of September 2021. The commodities listed are all utilities that can affect students and staff at CC: food (4.6%), energy commodities (41.7%), gasoline (42.1%), fuel oil (42.6%), electricity (5.2%), utility piped gas service (20.6%), clothing (3.4%), transportation services (4.4%). The overall inflation rate as of September of 2021 was at 5.4% compared to a year earlier. Heath Hornecker an ag teacher at CC and father of four shared his experience with the cost changes and how his family is adjusting. “As a family of six, we figure out how to do the same things on the same amount of money. Even though, those things cost more now maybe we buy one less gallon of milk or we carpool during the week,” said Hornecker. Jarrard shared his thoughts from a student’s perspective. Jarrard stated, “It’s taught me to budget, although, there’s not a lot of wiggle room for extracurricular activities when you and your roommate are worrying about how long your groceries will last for the next month.” According to the BLS, inflation rates affect state schools. Costs of providing utilities, funding for the teachers, and tuition costs can impact schools and students. Lynnde Colling, vice president of administrative services, said she’s worked at CC since 1985. Colling works on finance, budgeting, and forecasting what students might see coming into the college’s tuition rates. “(We consider) maintenance cost, software, IT support, utilities, a lot of maintenance and licensing costs that increase every year. Every time there is a renewal you adjust to it because it’s the things that students need to get their education,” said Colling. The total fixed fees for CC’s tuition costs are based on a college determined cap. per academic year. In 20202021, tuition costs $1,140.00. The estimated total fixed fee analysis for the 20212022 school year costs up to $1,200.00. The total per credit hour estimates an increase of 2%. However, the Wyoming Com mu n it y Col lege Commission establishes tuition rates for the community colleges. According to the executive commission meeting held on Oct. 6, 2021, the board members considered increasing the tuition rate for the 20222023 academic school year. The tuition rate to increase from $99 to $105 per credit hour was eliminated so the rise of inflation rates will not affect next year’s student tuition costs. CC students need to look for financial aid services, scholarships, clubs/ organizations, food bank, and student employment opp or t u n it ies. Accord i ng to CC’s school website, the college awarded $3.1 million in scholarships last year and $8.7 million in total financial aid for students. “There are services here at CC that students can utilize if they are aware of them,” said Colling. CC students and staff felt the recent impact on the economy due to the increase in inflation rates. The Federal Reserve says the expectation for a healthy economy is over two percent from the target. Even though commodities are getting more expensive, the students of CC do not have to worry about tuition costs increasing for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year. Hornecker stated, “Inflation rates affected us this summer, but we are going to start feeling the impact more this winter when we go to feed our livestock, feed ourselves, and heat our homes.” “Give yourself permission to be a learner” Kaley Pieper Chinook Writer Math -- the dreaded class of many students. Math can feel overwhelming and scary when sitting in Casper College’s Wold Physical Science Center room 216, with the whiteboards and walls full of complicated math symbols and long intricate equations. Many times, math can be simple or extremely difficult based on your professor and their approach to teaching students. A Casper native, Teresa Stricklin teaches math at CC. According to Stricklin, her teaching style can be described as, “Learning by doing, not learning by watching.” Her classroom lectures allow students to work through problems with her guidance and actively participate in asking questions and volunteering answers. “My goal in the classroom is for students to feel it is a safe place to be right, be wrong, or even not know,” said Stricklin. Stricklin’s unique conversational style of teaching makes a positive impact on many students. One such student is Jayden Roccaforte, a multimedia communications major taking her math 1400 course this semester. When asked to describe Stricklin’s teaching style, Roccaforte said, “Mrs. Stricklin is a teacher that is very organized and detailed in her teaching. She makes sure every single student understands a topic before moving on. She encourages asking questions and puts down a student for being wrong.” She said she encourages students who are “scared” of math to own it. “Just call it out. Say, ‘Hey I’m bad at math.’ I’ll help you work through that. There’s a lot of things I’m scared of. I’m scared of taxes, but that doesn’t mean they go away. Don’t hide behind it or use it as an excuse to not succeed,” said Stricklin. “And what is the fear of math in reality? Is it a fear of failure, not knowing, or looking dumb?” She said she wants students to talk through their fears and struggles with her, so she can identify issues and help them through the problem. Stricklin said that a student advocating for themselves is an important skill learned in college classrooms that is important for life after school. “Math isn’t so much about knowing the right answers right now, but what do I do when I don’t have the right answers. It’s so much more than crunching numbers. It’s really about thinking critically, knowing what to do when I’m stuck, and (then) finding help.” Roccaforte said, “Mrs. Stricklin has taught me that to truly understand a subject, you need to know the ‘why’ behind the ‘what’. She encourages thinking critically and grasping every aspect of a topic.” Also teaching math 900 and 930, Stricklin knows that not every student is taking math because they are interested in the subject. For students struggling in math, Stricklin provided advice. “Give yourself permission to be a learner. And remind yourself you are learning more things than just math,” said Stricklin. “We learn nothing by getting on a bike and riding it perfectly, but after the first time flying over the handlebars, I’ll never push the front brake on the bike again.” Stricklin explained that not everyone is supposed to be A+ in every subject. She said that it’s okay to not be good at something such as math, and it’s important to find your A+ subject. While attending the University of Wyoming, Stricklin said she changed her major at least nine times! For the first two and a half years of her college Kaley Pieper/Chinook Teresa Striklin uses her trusty meter stick to idenify points on — See Stricklin, Page 3 a graph. �Page 2 Chinook Stance Divine's Intervention: Work worth doing College is a time to find out who you are and what you want to be. For many of us, we came with a set plan. We came to school with a selected major, thinking we knew exactly what we wanted to do with our lives after formal education. For others, selecting a major was more difficult. How are you supposed to know what you want to do until you retire? How do I narrow down all my effort and energy into one narrow category of study that will dictate the job I am qualified to work? And the truth is, you don’t have to narrow it down just yet. It’s more important to explore your options, and find a career path that makes you passionate. Your career is more than a job that earns you money to get by to the next week. Even if you’re rich enough to enjoy your weekends, you’ll still be unhappy if you spend your weekdays hating your job and wanting to be anywhere else. Although it might sound cliche, if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. You need to find work that is worth doing. According to an article by the University of Southern California, people who enjoy their jobs are more likely to be optimistic, motivated, learn faster, make fewer mistakes, and make better business decisions. Not only will loving your job make you happier, but it will also make you better at doing it! Steve Jobs stood in front of the 2005 Stanford graduating class and said, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” When choosing your career, it’s important to choose a pathway that excites you. Find what gets you out of bed in the morning, and what inspires you to do your best. If you love art, find a job that allows for your creative brain and contribute your artistic ability to your career. If you love talking and working with people, find a position that harnesses your people skills and lets Kaley Pieper According to Kaley you exhibit them. So, what if you don’t know your strengths? What if you haven’t yet found your passions? Go search for them. Job shadow someone in your field, take a class unrelated to your major or try out new clubs. Try, fail, and try again. Everyone has something that makes them excited. Find that thing that puts you “in the zone” when everything else leaves your mind, and you are totally focused and engaged. Don’t be afraid to change your major -- and then change it again. Because now is the time to realize what you love to do, not when you’re 40+ and have been working a miserable job for 20 years. And most importantly, don’t solely choose your job based on the amount of money you can make because passion will always trump profits, and your joy should always prevail. So when you go home for Christmas break, and that one family member asks you, ‘Well what’s the plan?’ or ‘What’s your major?’ it’s perfectly fine for you to answer with something like, “That’s what college is for me to find out.” And if criticized for changing your major, or switching career paths, remember this quote from Theodore Roosevelt, “Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” Find your work worth doing. aper p s ewCollege’s Casper ok N nline o n i O ChStudent Now Voice Since 1945 “ As we head down the home stretch towards finals week and then into the holidays and New Year, I want to leave you with two messages. The first is take time to simply enjoy. Enjoy the weather, the season, your friends and family, and everything else life has to offer. All too often we become focused on one or two aspects of our lives, i.e. work and school, and other aspects of our complex lives become neglected. So please don’t get too focused on the hustle and bustle of the season, and take some time to just enjoy life. My second message is a reminder the holidays can be a challenging time as many people struggle with increased anxiety or depression. Adding the burden of believing everyone should be happy this time of year to someone already struggling with current life challenges, can make everything seem even worse. Whether this scenario describes you personally, or you have a friend or loved one who struggles, please take extra care this year to watch for the signs of emotional distress. Remember, there are many resources at the College, the county, and the state to help anyone having a tough time. Also know you can reach out anytime to any member of our staff, and ask for assistance, and we will put you in touch with trained professionals who can help. Best wishes for a peaceful and restful holiday season… Please don't get too focused on the hustle and bustle of the season, and take some time to just enjoy life. — Darren Divine, Ph.D., Casper College President The season of giving Rachelle Trujillo Rachelle's Reflections In some ways, 2021 was just as challenging as 2020. If this is the case for you too, the best thing you can do for yourself going into a new year is to serve others. I truly believe that it’s impossible to be sad or upset while helping someone else, so what better way is there to end the year? Being a college student means we are no strangers to penny pinching, but luckily for us doing kind gestures for others doesn’t always have to be expensive. Here are five, nearly free ways that you can serve others not only in the last month of 2021, but anytime throughout the year. 1. Thank someone working in customer service, and acknowledge their job isn’t easy. Many college students have at one point or another worked a low-paying job dealing with grumpy customers. If you are one of them, draw on these memories and pass some empathy along to the Walmart clerk, a restaurant manager, or telephone operator. A few simple words of acknowledgement and appreciation will go far. 2. Call an older relative. If you are lucky enough to still have grandmas and grandpas here with you, be sure to check in with them. Many of us can’t comprehend it now, but one day some of us will understand what it means to have our young, cool, and extremely busy grandkids stop and take the time out of their day to check in. If you don’t have grandmas or grandpas to call anymore, consider calling an older family friend, aunt, uncle, or even your parents. Regardless of who you call, the small gesture will mean the world. 3. Leave a glowing review for a local business. Many small businesses are still struggling following the pandemic. If you can’t give them your business all the time, leave a good review for the times you have. Good publicity means a great deal to growing businesses, and the best part is that it only takes a minute of your time. 4. Compliment an employee to their boss. Similar to thanking someone working in customer service, take a second to flag down a manager and compliment your server, barista, or anyone else that took extra care to provide you great service. Not only will the employee likely hear it from their boss, but their boss will see first-hand that they have a good worker on their team. 5. Compliments a stranger. We have become so accustomed to staring at our phones or looking the other way as we pass someone in the hall -- I’m guilty myself. As easy as this is, think about the time someone has gone out of their way to compliment your outfit, smile, or hair. A few words of affirmation will leave someone holding their head high for the rest of their day, and you’ll feel good for having made someone feel seen. Is it possible to be a vegan? Vegan as a noun is defined by Merriam-Webster as a person who does not eat any food derived from animals, and someone who does not use other animal products. Vegan as an adjective is described as eating, using or containing no food or other products derived from animals. Before I go any further, let me pause to clarify that this article is not meant to slander the products made from cattle. However it is quite the opposite, after reading this message, I hope you will gain knowledge and an understanding of the amazing benefits we enjoy everyday from cattle alone. First, let's examine ‘vegan’ as a noun. Since vegans cannot consume any animal products we will look at the by-products of a cow to start. According to AgClassroom.org, there are more than 10 edible byproducts that come from cattle. Things such as jello, yogurt, mayonnaise, soft shell medi- Join the Oil City Ag Club Help with the lamb and pig sale Participate in community service Make new friends Discuss trending agriculture topics Test your competitive side Join us for good food and fun Contact faculty advisor Heath Hornecker hhornecker@caspercollege.edu WA 111 December 1, 2021 CHINOOK cines and many other items contain by-products from cattle. I’m not sharing these facts to scare you or make you not want to consume these products; however, many people have never been exposed to the immense amount of commodities cattle alone produce. These are just a few of the edible byproducts that come from cattle. So now let’s view ‘vegan’ as an adjective, as an adjective one cannot eat, use or contain any products from an animal. If you are choosing to make the transition into or you’re already vegan, note that when driving a car or taking some form of public transportation, you are using cattle byproducts whether you know it or not. Let me explain. The tires that are on the vehicle are made of rubber, which contains products from the excess fat on a cow. Whether or not you purchased those tires, you still may be contributing to the use of these products. When choosing to use public transportation the price of your ticket goes in part towards tires and fuel. Within biodiesel there are cattle by-products diesel technology forum states that 84 percent of all public transportation is a diesel bus. Based on transportation alone the likelihood of someone being able to be a true vegan is almost impossible. Let’s talk about some of the other items that most people are accustomed to using that also contain by-products. Regardless of the fact that you may or may not own a home, according to the National Association of Home Builders in 2019 the amount of homes built on a concrete foundation was up 46% from 2018. Surprisingly enough concrete also contains by-products from cattle. With that being said, based on by-products from cattle alone, it is basically impos- Paige Noble AgVocating with Paige sible to be a true vegan no matter your definition. Further research of other animals continues to support the fact that being a vegan is not possible. So take a look at the foundation of your home, the insulation and the paint on your walls, your food, and your transportation, all which contain cattle by-products. Step back and really consider how impactful cattle really are on your life. 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 �December 1, 2021 Page 3 CHINOOK Stricklin.................................................. Kaley Pieper/Chinook Stricklin helps freshamn Katie Baumstarck learn graphing equations in Math 1400. career, she found herself very unsure of what she wanted to do with her life. Since her family owned a Hallmark store in town for 49 years, she first assumed that she would get her business degree and take over the business from her father. While growing up working retail in the store, Stricklin learned many valuable people skills. Her upbringing also instilled in her the importance of hard work and the will to strive for excellence. Her family worked 365 days a year to run the store. “When you own your own business, there’s no such thing as a day off,” she explained. But after one semester of macroeconomics, she realized business was not for her. She then tried many other career paths including social work, accounting, business administration, and psychology. “It’s okay to explore, (to) think about what sounds fun and try it. I think we’re so focused on finding a major and getting it done. You have a long adult life to be an adult, so just explore in college. I would much rather students take longer to graduate and love what they’re doing than to graduate and hate it,” she said. Stricklin also said that if she could do college over again, she would spend more time on adventures and making friends than focusing so hard continued from page 1 on academics. “Not that focusing on academics is bad, but it’s okay to go on adventures and have responsible fun with friends. Sometimes we focus too much on getting the degree and less on adventures. I wish in college I would’ve gone on a mission trip,” Stricklin shared. While she did get the opportunity to go on a mission trip four years ago, she said she realized the benefit she could have gained from the religious trip in college. Stricklin describes herself as a religious woman who hopes that her walk with Jesus comes out in the way she treats people. She said she also hopes that when students are in her class they feel loved, appreciated, and valued. She also “prayer walks” in her classroom around all the desks in the morning before she teaches. Roccaforte’s favorite part about her teaching is the time she gives each individual student. “Every class, Mrs. Stricklin interacts with each student individually, which you don’t see from a lot of other professors. My favorite part is being able to leave class every day feeling like I learned something, and I didn’t waste my time,” he said. Professors like Stricklin make CC a college that is able to enrich the lives of students and the community alike. The life of a non-traditional student at CC Isabella Coronado Chinook Writer Do you ever wonder what a non-traditional student is or what college is like for someone non-traditional students? A non-traditional student doesn’t follow the traditional path that students take coming out of high school. Nowadays, these students are known as non-trad students. Non-traditional students come from different scenarios, but in the end, the students work to complete their education just the same. Diana Craige is just one example of a non-trad student that attended CC. Born in Alamosa, Colo., Craige later moved with her family to Casper. She is married to Dwight Craige. She has three kids, Randy, Raymond, and Melody. Craige became a grandma about four years ago and she loves being one every single day. Craige got a job at the Star Tribune in 1979 (now the Casper Star-Tribune), a role she credits as one of her ‘first real jobs.’ She worked there for 31 years. She started in the news department of the Tribune and then moved over to the business office. In 1981 she found out that her job covered the cost of taking a college class if the class associated with work. “The Star Tribune was very helpful with the whole process and helped work around my schedule so that I could go to the college to take my classes.” Craige took accounting at the college for her first class. Around 1984, her publisher tried to persuade more people to take classes, and he said he would even cover a degree if someone wanted to continue taking classes at the college. Once Craige heard about the opportunity, she found out more information so she could qualify for more classes. She ended up submitting a proposal for a business degree paid for by the Star Tribune, which her publisher accepted. She tried to schedule her classes during her lunch breaks or take night classes so she could still maintain her full-time work schedule. Craige described what it was like going back to school. She spoke very highly about school and expressed her excitement to return to the classroom. Craige said, “You’re really ready, where I think sometimes when you go from high school straight to college, I think something people think ‘ugh this is boring’ compared to when you are a non-trad. Every class was interesting and exciting to go to.” Going to college proved a lot of fun for Craige, especially when she started taking a bunch of new classes. Craige said she found herself almost living a double life going to school and getting her associates while also being a full-time mom with a full-time job on top of school. Taking college classes made Craige feel like she could be herself at school. “I was a mom, a full time mom, so it was the only time I could be Diana. I wasn’t mom, I wasn’t the employ, I wasn’t Mrs. Craige, I was just Diana.” She said she always found CC a very personable school to attend. Craige described what she liked about CC. “Your teachers got to know you, you weren’t scared to ask for help, and the labs were great. And whenever you needed outside help, everyone was willing to help and make sure you were satisfied with your learning at CC,” Craige said. While earning her associate's degree, Craige worked in the business office at the Star Tribune. After for 21 years in the business department, Craige said she spend the last 10 years of her time with the Star Tribune in the advertising depart- ment. She actually work in dual departments as a supervisor for accounting and in statistics for advertising. After she completed her associates degree, Craige said she didn’t think that she would want to go back to school, but after a few years passed, she returned to school through University of Wyoming at Casper. There, Craige earned her bachelor's degree and later got her teaching license. She taught for 10 years before she retired in May of 2021. Cindy Roybal is one of Craige’s nieces. She spoke very highly of her aunt’s impacts on her life and all of her accomplishments as a non-trad. Roybal described Craige as one her closest aunts. She also believes that Craige is the aunt that she is most like. Roybal shared how she thought her aunt going to CC helped open a lot of opportunities for her and her career. It also helped her balance spending time with her family as a parent while also getting a degree. “She’s taught me how to take things in stride and how to find the silver lining in every situation. When you face an obstacle, she always faces anything with positivity and laughter and it helps her get through hard times,” said Roybal. Roybal described Craige as one of the strongest people in our family. She said her aunt is always a great role model because no matter what comes her way, she always figures out a way to look on the bright side. Roybal said, Craige is a very bright person and has achieved so much in her life. Craige said she wanted to share her story to show students in college now what it is like to be in college with a family and a ful- time job. Even though Photo Courtesy of Diana Craige it came with difficulties, Craige said she Diana Craige is posed in a photo with her husband Dwight wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Craige, who she has been married to for almost 40 years. The end of Fall semester is almost here. Locations/Hours Tobin Dining Hall : Mon—Fri Breakfast 7am—9am Continental 10am—11am Full Lunch 11am—1pm Grill/Salad Be sure to use your Sat—Sun Brunch 11:30am—1:30pm Meal Plan’s FLEX $$ All funds expire on Dec. 18 2021 and do not carry over to Spring Semester! 1pm—2pm Everyday Dinner 4:45pm—6:45pm SubConnection : Mon—Thurs 7am—6pm Fri 7am—3pm Leisinger Doornbos Lounge and 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 4 CHINOOK Performing "Narnia" December 1, 2021 Erin Geldien/Chinook From left to right, Carter Brown, Skylar Lane, Abigail Disburg, Alex Brus, play the two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve from the classic movie "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" made into the musical. The four were reading a note left on Mr. Tumnus' house when they were startled by two beavers. Erin Geldien/Chinook Aslan, played by Dylan Coleman, sings to the "kids" and other creatures from Narnia. Erin Geldien/Chinook Erin Geldien/Chinook The two beavers, played by Nicholas Goar and Anastasia Zetti, share a deep discussion after descovering "the two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve." Mr. Tumnus, played by Matthew Hills, talks to Lucy, played by Abigail Disburg, inside his home. The two drink tea right after Lucy walked through the wardrobe into the magical land of Narnia. Erin Geldien/Chinook Edumd, played by Carter Brown, listens to Jessica Cowen sing about Narnia and all the things he could experience if he brought his siblings to the castle with him. Erin Geldien/Chinook The Witch, played by Jessica Cowen feeds Edmund, played by Carter Brown some turkish delight. Enjoy a friendly game! Open gym Thursdays from 7 - 11 p.m. Liesinger Hall Gym *excluding game days* �December 1, 2021 Page 5 CHINOOK Kristina Pham runs rain or shine Abigail Landwehr Chinook Writer Rain-or-shine runners are a rare breed. Regardless of snow, wind, or any other weather patterns thrown their way, rain-or-shine runners pound the pavement in their tennis shoes almost any day of the year. Among them is Kristina Pham, an instructor of psychology at Casper College and a rain-or-shine runner for 15 years now. “There were only three days last year that I didn't run,” Pham said. “I’m usually up by 4 [a.m.] ... I just get up, have a cup of coffee and then it's get changed and get out the door.” Pham’s daily morning routine stays pretty consistent throughout the week. In her classroom and teaching by 8 a.m., she aims to run eight to ten miles on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and eight to 12 miles on her days off. The distance is higher if Pham is training for a race, which she did relatively often before the Covid-19 outbreak. “Running has always been a part of the daily routine from what I can remember,” Anasofia Pham, Kristina’s daughter said. “I always remember growing up that no matter how early I woke up, my mom had already been up and had done her morning run.” Still, Kristina never saw herself as a runner growing up. She didn’t take up running at all until she was about 34. “You know, it's funny. I was looking at [a childhood scrapbook] with my kids a while back,” Kristina said. “And every year it was like, oh, I won all these awards at field day for running. And my kids were like, ‘how did you not know you were a runner?’ I don't know… I never thought of myself as athletic.” But today Kristina is still winning awards for her running. Currently, Kristina holds 12 US age group records and 20 state age records in Arizona for the 12k to 30k, according to the USA Track & Field American Records. She broke eight of those records on the same day. “On my taxes it says I'm a semiprofessional athlete,” Kristina said. “Which means that I make enough money to have to pay taxes on it, but it doesn't actually support me.” Some of Kristina’s different types of races include track, road racing, and mountain running, though she said long distance remains her favorite. Kristina started to say that she found her morning runs to be a stress reliever, but she quickly corrected herself, mentioning the goal she sets for herself during most runs. If Kristina runs her ideal time or distance, the day is set up to succeed. But if the goal isn’t met, she said the day is met with frustration. However, the run isn’t completely worthless. “I do my best thinking when I'm running,” Kristina said. “If I think to myself, well I want do this in class with my students, but I'm not sure how to work out the details of it -- it's when I'm running that I like to figure that stuff out… I just kind of tune everything out and am able to just kind of work out all the stuff in my head.” Again, such runs takes place in whatever weather is thrown her way. Kristina said her least favorite to brave is the wind, but she said she doesn’t mind the snow. “I would take the snow,” Kristina said. “It seems like the town is just so quiet. It's just the most beautiful -- it’s my favorite.” Regardless of weather, Kristina said she just likes the running part. “It's like the thing that makes me the happiest,” Kristina said. “Maybe not the thing that makes me the happiest… my kids might be upset if I said that. It just makes me really happy. I really enjoy it.” Kristina said a post she wrote for her personal blog back in October 2014 best described her feelings for running. The writing today still reflects the worry back then that she wouldn’t be able to recover from an injury. “I don’t think I can express how I feel about racing. I love racing with a passion that most people reserve for romantic relationships,” Kristina wrote in her blog. “I am never happy, I always want more, I always want better… What drives me is this internal need to do better than I did in the past.” Kristina said she’s maintained the blog for years. However, regardless of all the writing ranging in topics from morning runs to personal anecdotes, the specific post expressing her feelings for running stuck out enough for Kristina to mention it, even after seven years. “I have said this before, but I truly believe I am a better runner,” Kristina wrote. “I know I can perform better, this is why I am so emotional about my running. I can’t give up. No more regrets.” Photo Courtesy of (royalty-free) Aravaipa Running Kristina Pham, instructor of pyschology at Casper College, competes in the Silverton Alpine race this past summer. 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. Tyler Sanner A MyCCMoodle app is coming soon! �Page 6 December 1, 2021 CHINOOK Former Chinook staff member pursues bigger Paige Noble Chinook Writer Previous Casper College graduate Derek Schroeder found success in many different aspects of his life. Immediately after graduating from CC where he wrote for the Chinook, Schroeder chose to continue his education at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Ariz. where he pursued degrees in environmental studies and journalism. There too, he wrote for the student paper. Schroeder spoke to where his interest in writing began. “I really got the bug to be a writer at Dean Morgan Junior High School. One of the first five paragraph essays my English teacher had us write, she took me aside and said, ‘Derek this paper is really good. You have this voice I think you need to pay attention to.’” Following such praise, Schroeder utilized that momentum and carried it through to where he is now. Once in high school Schroeder immediately started writing for the “Gusher,” the school newspaper at Natrona County High School. He then wrote for the Chinook at CC and the paper at NAU. Mimi Schroeder, Derek’s mother, recalled his personality in school and his passion for writing. “She just fell in love with him, all of his teachers adored him,” said Mimi. Derek has been able to work in many different fields. While in Arizona he said he worked for non-profits, which really spiked an interest in environmental studies. Because of those work experiences, Derek then switched his degree to environmental studies and started pursuing a life devoted to bettering the environment. After graduating from NAU, Derek moved to Oregon to work on local farms where he learned more about agriculture and the benefits of rotational grazing in cattle. “Tomatoes were his thing. He could grow some mighty fine tomatoes,” said Mimi. While Derek worked on the farms he learned a lot about the benefits of grazing livestock. “It was a really fun experience learning all about sustainable farming practices,” said Derek. His time in Oregon coupled with growing up in Wyoming further sparked his passion for the environment and using sustainable goods to better the environment. He said he works to always promote sustainability in whatever field he works. In addition to Derek’s passion for environmental studies, he also values the fine arts. From a very young age, others noticed Derek’s passion for music. Somehow Derek always finds himself tied to music whether that is from his days in high school playing in the guitar ensemble or playing with his current band. “He loved the guitar, and was very good at it. He played in the elite guitar ensemble throughout school.” said Mimi. “Even Mrs. Martin said he's just wonderful; he picks up things so easily.” Not only is his passion for the arts evident through music, but it is also abundantly clear through Derek’s photography. After working on farms in Oregon Derek took a job with LifeTouch Photography and quickly expanded his knowledge and passion for photography. “I’ve always been excited about photography,” said Schroeder. Once the opportunity to grow with the company presented itself Derek jumped on it. Whether writing for a journal, practicing real life sustainable farming, or snapping pictures, Derek finds success from passions established in his childhood. Such passions continue to align with his beliefs and help better the environment, capturing the true beauty through words and images. This is Derek Schroeder. Photo and Caption Courtesy of Derek Schroeder Shown above is a photo I took of my good friend fly-fishing for steelhead near the Oregon Coast. Steelhead are a rainbow trout that has migrated from it's home river to the ocean and returns to spawn. They are by far my favorite type of fish to chase with my fly rod. As you can see, it's a type of visual poetry to cast big flies and heavy lines to these inspiring creatures. Photo and Caption Courtesy of Derek Schroeder Below -- This is from a backcountry climbing trip I took in Alaska with my friend Eamon. We were outside of Fairbanks, and dodged some feisty goldminers, more mosquitos than I thought was possible anywhere and nasty weather to climb these amazing spires. A trip I won't forget. Photo and Caption Courtesy of Derek Schroeder Above -- Wakauna Falls outside Portland, OR. Waterfalls are gorgeous but very hard to photograph creatively. This was my attempt at creating a neat composition and I still come back to it as one of my favorites. It's a good advertisement for Circular polarizers as well. Photo and Caption Courtesy of Derek Schroeder Left -- A small glimpse from life on the Deck Family Farm in Junction City, Oregon. Pastureraised pork is kept in moveable parcels and fed hazelnuts sourced from nearby orchards. The pigs graze, till and fertilize the pasture. The pasture is then seeded and beef cattle will graze it in the summer. Photo and Caption Courtesy of Derek Schroeder Above -- My wife and I backpacked through the mountains in Peru, and this wonderful local hiked all the way to our camp at 14,000 feet and sold us some llama wool hats and gloves. We were astonished to see she hiked nearly as far as we did in sandals and skirts. �December 1, 2021 Page 7 CHINOOK The T-Birds road ahead Brendan Saunders Chinook Writer The T-Birds season is underway with many new recruits, red shirt freshman, and two returning sophomores. The team started the season 4-4 with a three-game home stand ahead. The squad looked in good form only losing close games but winning games by big margins. The highest win came in the T-Birds first game of the season. The team beat Real Salt Lake Post Grad 109-69 and kept that momentum to win the “GW Mechanical Tip Off Classic.” Returning sophomore Peter Turay proved a reliable leader coming off the bench playing 22 minutes a game while scoring 10 points per contest. He shot 61% from the field. Coming from London, Turay makes a big impact on the team, and he said he hopes to lead new recruits as one of the two returning sophomores. Casper native Davion McAdam looks to put gain on his experience from his last season and translate that to his final season at Casper College. “It has been a blessing (being) from here and (to) compete at such a high level and continue playing in front of people who truly care for me,” said McAdam. “This year is different from my freshman year because I have higher expectations for myself and from the coaching staff as well.” McAdam averaged 5.5 points, shooting 50% shooting from the field. One of CC’s new recruits is true freshman PJ Ngambi, a guard out of Nebraska. Ngambi made an immediate impact on the team earning starter minutes and averaging 11.4 points a game. Red-shirt freshman Rashaun Agee leads the team in scoring with 15 points a game from the forward position. The T-Birds look to capitalize on their strong start at home where they boasted an 8-3 record last season by winning these next three before playing a tournament in Gillete. The team finished last year’s season with a winning Freshman guard, Joslin Igo, prepares to shoot in a recent home game. record of 13-8. The T-Birds hope to improve that record and bring a championship back to Casper. Brendan Saunders/Chinook Building blocks in 2021 Brendan Saunders Chinook Writer PJ Ngambi, a freshman guard, takes a shot at a recent home game. Brendan Saunders/Chinook The Lady T-Birds are off to a hot start after almost pulling off a perfect season last year with a close loss in the regional championship game against Otero Junior College. After a strong season that ended with a close loss of only five, the Lady T-birds look to build on the momentum from last season and correct the mistakes made in the championship game. Coach Dwight Gunnare looks to key in on those weak spots. “We had trouble handling pressure and with boxing out in the paint for rebound. We looked to recruiting to help fix those problems. We have been focusing on dribbling and boxing out in practice as well,” said Gunnare. In addition to the new recruits, the Lady T-Birds five returning sophomores took the leadership role of the team in stride. “They have been tremendous. They understand the drills and they translate that to the freshman class in practice,” said Gunnare. One of the returning sophomores, Joseana Vaz, is the player Gunnare praised for a breakout season last year. Vaz built off of the confidence from last season and brought it to the hot start this year. Averaging 14.7 points a game while shooting 45% from the field, Vaz found her role as a leader of this team. “Being a starter as a freshman helped my confidence a lot. I can feel the trust of the team with more plays being run through me and for me,” Vaz said. Coming from her home country in Praia, Cape Verde, Vaz also used her freshman year to acclimate to playing in the United States. “I got to learn a lot about how plays are run in America last year, so this year I am lot more familiar with how they are run while getting more minutes.” Vaz and the Lady T-Birds made a statement at the start of the season, and they aim to go right back to the championship this year with a winning result. At 5-2, the Lady T-Birds play in the Casper’s Thanksgiving Classic before hitting the road until January 19 where they hope to top the conference. International students in the post-COVID world Rachelle Trujillo Chinook Writer The Coronavirus pandemic affected nearly every aspect of people’s lives. As the world begins to recuperate from the changes seen over the past two years, traveling is increasingly returning to prepandemic levels. For college students, studying abroad is an extremely attractive option, and looser restrictions mean young people are able to once again experience new cultures and campus life. Sophomore Keanu Jardim felt relieved to receive the opportunity to come to Casper College from his hometown of Johannesburg, South Africa. “I didn’t know if I would be able to make it because of COVID. It took a really long time to get my visa” Jardim said. “ It’s really exciting being here. It’s a great experience that I’m really grateful for.” Jardim lived in South Africa his whole life, and he said he finds it interesting to see the different ways holidays are celebrated. Halloween, for example, is not so much a big deal in South Africa as it is in the U.S. He said people here go “all out.” While Thanksgiving is not celebrated in South Africa, Jardim said those in the U.S. enjoy Christmas nearly the same way with feasts, gifts, and lots of family time. However, some international students do not have the option to head home for the holidays. This year, both Jardim and Konato Campbell, a fellow sophomore from Kingston, Jamaica, have the chance to spend this special time of year with loved ones. For Jardim, travelling to South Africa is not an option, but he is able to visit family in Portugal. Campbell is lucky enough to enjoy the holidays with loved ones back in his hometown. “I’m ecstatic,” Campbell said. “I really miss my family, so I’m happy to go home.” For many international students, holidays are one of the few times of year where they can see family again. It’s a big decision to move across the globe and hundreds of miles away from — See post-COVID, Page 8 Medal of Honor recipient WRITING CENTER visits Casper College 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! Baylee Darling/Chinook Medal of Honor recipient Clint Romesha came to visit Casper College on November 12th. He detailed his journey from his childhood years and into the army. He talked about how his father had been in the army, and how he himself asprired to join as well. He originally wanted to join to pay for college, but ended up staying in it, serving our country for over 10 years. He recounted his experience of being deployed in Afganistan, mentioning not only the horrors of war but also the close brotherhood that he and his team shared. For his service in the Battle of Kamdesh in 2009, he recieved a Medal of Honor, which was awarded by former President Obama in 2009. The Medal of Honor is the United States government's most prestigious military decoration awarded to those in service to us who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor and bravery. Romesha's story proved just how much he deserved this incredible honor, and we thank him for coming to share his experiences with us. 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 �Page 8 December 1, 2021 CHINOOK Post-COVID...continued from page 7 loved ones, but for Campbell and Jardim, it was a risk they were willing to take. “I heard about Casper College from a soccer agency. My dream was to always attend college and play soccer, so coming to Casper made that dream a reality,” Campbell said. Moving to a new country and college comes with its pros and cons. Both Jardim and Campbell hail from warm climates, and each said the cold weather, especially the wind, is not something they’re fond of here. Weather aside, both men appreciate the opportunities Casper and the college offer, including scholarships and athletics, along with its services like counseling, tutoring, and wellness. Both students also said they experience a sense of safety and security in the Casper community. “There are more opportunities here than back home” Campbell said, “And back home, there is a lot of violence there.” Jardim echoed the same sentiments, saying that Casper is much safer than his home- town in South Africa. Overall, Jardim and Campbell agreed that they both enjoy being in Casper. Aside from the cold weather and wind that Jardim mentioned he disliked, both men made note of the friendly people they have encountered in Casper, and how it's these individuals that have made their time here memorable. “The people here are really nice and friendly,” Jardim said in closing. “That is one of the best things I really like about being here in Casper.” Photo Courtesy of Cory Garvin Like Konato Campbell, Keanu Jardim hoped to play soccer upon enrolling at Casper College. He is one of many international students that make up CC’s athletic teams. From animal science major to pharmacist Photo Courtesy of Jamie Hornecker From left to right, Heath, Jamie, Nolan, Emmy, Carson and Jansen Hornecker posed for a family photo. Heath Hornecker is also an instructor at Casper College, and both he and Jamie are alumnis of Casper College. The couple met during their time in Casper. Cameron Magee Chinook Writer Jaime Hornecker grew up loving the agricultural way of life, but after completing her bachelor's degree in Animal Science, she found herself in a pharmacy and hasn’t looked back. Hornecker grew up in Culbertson, Nebr. on a small farm and ranch. She lived the small rural life, calling her upbringing ‘laid back and wonderful.” “We had a great childhood growing up. We were very involved in 4-H, and I traveled to the neighboring high school for FFA because my school was K-12th and didn’t offer it,” said Hornecker. After graduating high school, Hornecker found herself judging livestock at Casper College while also working towards an associate's degree in pre-veterinary medicine. After CC, she made her way to Texas Tech University where she continued judging and received a bachelor's degree in Animal Science. Hornecker thought she found her way in agriculture, but then she also made connections in the Texas Tech pharmacy department as a volunteer. “My farm animal reproduction teacher was a human reproductive physiologist. I made a connection with him, and he was writing letters of recommendations for me. I was going to go work for him at the hospital and somehow, I found myself in the pharmacy. The rest is history,” Hornecker recalled. Looking back, Hornecker remembers her professors accepting her animal science classes in place of human science. “My family always jokes about when I went to pharmacy school, I had to have an anatomy class and they accepted my anatomy of farm animals' class for the human anatomy class. They don’t do that anymore, but at the time it worked,” said Hornecker. Hornecker mentioned that she would have really enjoyed animal medicine, but she looked for something family friendly while maintaining a medicine interest with an agriculture interest on the side. “There are many vets who are successful at having a family and practicing. Pulling calves at 30 below zero and the wind is blowing, that type of thing really factored into it -- maybe it was a lifestyle thing,” she laughed. Hornecker is a pharmacist by training, but she is now ultimately a teacher as a professor for the University of Wyoming School of Pharmacy. “Part of my job with the University of Wyoming, in addition to my responsibilities with teaching is that I have my own practice,” said Hornecker Hornecker practices in Casper because the School of Pharmacy put her there as her practice site. That is where she not only sees patients but also where students come to work in the clinic and learn more about pharmacy in a real world setting. “I take fourth year pharmacy students while they are in their clinical rotations. I will get a group of two students at a time for four weeks. I usually have five to six groups throughout the year,” Hornecker said. In addition to clinical rotations with pharmacy students, Hornecker also runs a PTY1 residency program for pharmacists. The program is for graduated pharmacists that chose to do an extra year of training. According to Hornecker, sometimes the pharmacists choose to train an extra year because they want to get into a specialty pharmacy position that requires more education. In addition to students rotating in and out, Hornecker also manages two pharmacy residents who work with her for a full year. Hornecker’s job contains many parts she enjoys, but she spoke to her favorites. “Getting to contribute to the professional and personal growth of the students and residents that I work with, that is number one. The second favorite part of my job is the relationship with my patients. I started with a lot of my patients in my residency. We joke with the students that they have seen my kids be born because we have been seeing each other so long,” Hornecker said. The last year made working in health care extremely tough for many in the workforce, and Hornecker brought light to such changed times. “It’s always tough when you lose Success after a degree from CC Audrey Axtell Chinook Writer Casper College takes pride in not only employing high quality educators, but also in having an abundant amount of CC graduates back as current professors, and Jeremy Burkett is no exception. Burkett is an agriculture professor and the CC Livestock coach, a position he’s had for almost 13 years. Burkett’s office is lined with banners and trophies won by CC’s livestock team over the years along with photos from team trips. Several of Burkett’s students received the Academic All-American award, a mark of achievement all members strive to accomplish. The award is given to students for academic excellence in combination with a high level of performance at national judging competitions. Burkett is the current state executive director for the Wyoming Pork Producers, as well as a member of the National Pork Board. He said agriculture has always been a part of his life in some capacity. According to Burkett, he grew up raising show hogs with his parents and siblings. He spoke to the impacts this lifestyle made on his career choices. “Judging and being involved in ag has definitely put my professional career on a totally different trajectory. I would not be where I’m at today without those opportunities and making those connections,” said Burkett. Burkett began livestock judging himself when he was a freshman in high school, and he continued his career through 4-H and FFA. After graduating, he judged at a collegiate level for CC on scholarship under Kelly Burch. Burkett held the state FFA presidential office for Wyoming while attending CC, which provided even more travel opportunities. After competing for the CC livestock judging team, Burkett went on to earn his bachelor's in animal science at Colorado State University followed by his master’s in animal science and meat science at Iowa State. He later received his PhD from Iowa state as well. Burkett said he did not intend to become a professor, but he finds the work very rewarding and enjoys working with his students. Burkett said he initially intended to become a veterinarian, however if you asked his wife she would tell you he was meant to be a teacher all along. After being accepted to vet school, Burkett decided to work towards his PhD instead, and he became a professor for CC shortly after. “I really plan on staying here, obviously not only raising a family in Casper, but competing with my team at the local, state, and national level has been incredible. Casper is a great place to live, to work, and a great environment to raise a family,” said Burkett. “Life will throw you different avenues and career paths. It’s important to trust your heart on where you need to be”. Coaching at CC even shaped the way Burkett is raising his own kids by getting them involved in agriculture through showing lambs, being in 4-H, and FFA activities. Burkett’s oldest son is just starting livestock judging at the high school level this year as a freshman. During the judging season a patient,'' said Hornecker when talking about the hard parts of her job. “Especially during the pandemic, a lot of us have seen what death and dying do, especially when it’s close to home it’s hard.” Hornecker enjoys what her job offers in terms of clinic life, but there are also perks outside of the pharmacy. “Teaching and working in the clinic gives me more flexibility than you do in a lot of other pharmacy jobs,” Hornecker said. “At Walmart you are stuck there from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and you can’t get away to see your kids' activities. I really appreciate how flexible my job is so I can get away.” Hornecker has four children -Nolan, Emmy, Carson and Janson who all appreciate how hard their mom works not only at her clinical job but also how much she provides for her family. “My mom is a rockstar because she always compliments me on my grades in school, my athleticism and strength. She is always supportive on the sports I do like skiing, baseball, and other things like football,” said Carson Emmy, mentioned that her mom tries to help them be their best so they can succeed at anything they try. “She pushes us to be the best at everything and not give anything but our best work. She helps us work our livestock, helps us with school, and anything else that we might need help with,” said Emmy. Jansen, the youngest sibling said, “She always challenges us to be our best, and I appreciate that because I know it’s going to make me into a better person.” Nolan, who is the oldest, says his mom means the world to him, she is always there for him and helps him become the best person he can be. “She has always been a leader to me, and she always tells me to become a leader and what it means to become a leader. Her influence has really impacted my life on the person I have become today,” Nolan explained. itself, team members become like a second family to Burkett, and he often treats them like his own kids. Burkett said it’s not uncommon for him to shed a few tears during graduation. Students travel long distances to judge at CC, and Burkett goes the extra mile to make students feel like they are at a home away from home. “One of my favorite things about this job is watching students grow, develop their judging skills, and find their groove,” Burkett said. “By the end of every season, we’re no longer just a team, we’re a family. I would do anything I could to help out any one of these kids''. Students throughout the agriculture department appreciate the work Burkett does for his students and team members. Whether inside the Submitted Photo classroom or out, Burkett is Jeremy Burkett, an agriculture professor, posed for a photo. always finding ways to help his students. serious when he needs to be. his students in every way he can Paige Noble, a previous His students that know him while pushing them to strive member of the livestock team well feel like he’s a true friend, for excellence, according to and a current work study not just a teacher”, said Noble. Noble. His best qualities tend for the ag pavilion, spoke to “I know I could go to him for to shine when he’s with his Burkett’s character and impact anything I need, and he’ll be livestock team, being a mentor, on his students. there to help”. a coach, but most importantly, “He’s such a kid, but still Burkett continues to help a friend to lend an ear. � 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 2021-12 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. 2021-12 Description An account of the resource This is a copy of the online Chinook Newspaper from December 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_2021-12 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/51b74355369a4ff03665c1a92375b59a.pdf b83af8edd3f6ff3fc17234c12e263337 PDF Text Text March 1, 2022 Casper College’s Student Voice Since 1945 Single parent program supports Charlize Fritsinger Chinook Writer Casper College’s Neil and Doris McMurry Single Parent Program offers various services to support single parents yearround, and there are openings for more students. The Student Success Center, located in the Gateway building, is where many students go for advising or for a tour around campus. The single parent program is also located in the Student Success Center. The McMurry family established and funded the program after it was clear the college needed a program to support single parents at Casper College. Heather Owens, the student success advisor tasked with running the single parent program, spoke about the initiative. She said services offered through the single parent program include the McMurry Scholarship, a textbook loan program, a Pathfinder Credit Union free financial literacy course, access to a clothing closet and school supplies, as well as case management services linking parents to community services. The entirety of the program is designed to support parents and provide them with resources they need to not only go to school traditionally but for many parents non-traditionally. Owens said that many of the parents in the program are non-traditional, have already started raising their families, and decided to come to college. “Because of that, there’s a little barrier like isolation. I think a little bit just because they don’t fit into that 18, 19-year-old category,” Owens said, “Helping just break that isolation and honestly realizing that these guys are rock stars. Like that’s what I just some of them just blow my mind at how they’re accomplishing.” Jonathan Lucas, a single father and new non-traditional student at CC is studying secondary education. After meeting with an advisor, Lucas was introduced to the single parent program and involved ever since. According to Lucas, “It’s a program that helps single parents have a second chance at coming back to college.” He said the program helped him with books, tuition, gas, and even possible future bills. After serving in the military for 7 years as a US Army Paratrooper, Lucas made the decision to come back to college, and he expressed how beneficial he finds the program. However, even with the support of the program, the need for support from peers and faculty is also needed. “Understanding. Understanding what it’s like to have your life on hold. You know, when your children are sick, you’re down, you can’t come to work, you can’t come to college. You might not be able to make it to work. Understanding what entails that,” Lucas said. Charlize Fritsinger/Chinook Casper College student Jonathan Lucas posed for a photo in the lobby of the Student Success Center where advisor Heather Owens and the single parent program are located. Lucas added that he thinks or hopes faculty would be more lenient or appreciative of the hard work that goes into completed assignments and projects. He said those assignments might seem like they were done quickly, but perhaps they were done exhausted. Understanding and empathy are what many nontraditional students and single — See Parents, Page 3 CC, Hogadon offer night skiing to students Kaley Pieper Chinook Writer Hogadon Ski Area sits at the top of Casper Mountain where views of the sunset are hard to beat. The white snow is a stark contrast to the beautiful red, orange, and purple sky. And thanks largely to the Zimmerman Family Foundation, and many other contributors, this nighttime view is one that anyone can experience. While busy daytime schedules can limit time on the slopes, Hogadon Ski area offers night skiing, an experience that started a few of years ago when installation of the lights on the mountain began. Adam Lutz, an organizational leadership and business management major at Casper College, served on the team that put night lights on the slopes. He and his crew spent lots of time and effort to install the lights. When asked about the process, Lutz said, “It’s been a lot of fun. It’s been a process of just putting one foot in front of the other, even if you’re moving backward.” After the long process, the lights are finally up! Large light poles now illuminate several runs. The Hogadon Basin Ski Area is open from 3 to 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays for night skiing with about an hour overlap between day and night skiing. The lighted runs include Morning Dew, Park, and Boomerang. “We’re trying to really get the word out. The idea has been very well-received now that it’s going on. All the work and a couple of setbacks… it’s nothing when you’re up there, looking at the lights, and you can see Casper down below. I’ve never skied at night before this, so it was definitely a really awe-inspiring experience. And the first night it was open, we got a little extra snow the day of, and it was clear... And the sunset was perfect…” Lutz said about the experience. The idea for skiing in the dark of night comes from Lutz’s father’s home back in Michigan. Lutz fondly remembers hearing stories about his father and his friends going up the mountain after school to ski and snowboard on the artificially lit slopes until late at night. Since having school all day can leave students busy, night skiing gives an opportunity to still get out onto the mountain. Hogadon isn’t the only resort to come up with the idea. Snow King Resort in Jackson Hole Wyoming also provides lit runs. But here in Casper, college students only have a 15-minute drive to the Hogadon Ski Area. “It’s an opportunity for skiers and snowboarders alike to get out there and hone in on their sport. It allows you to come out more than just on the weekends.” Lutz said. “We want to get the word out and make the access to the area easier. God-willing with some snow, we can make [Casper] a nice little ski town, as it always has been.” A Casper native, Lutz recalls shoveling snow in the morning in order to get money to ski for the rest of the day with his brother. “Looking back on it, it’s a huge blessing in my life that I’ve been able to do that (Ski at Hogadon) with my family, and I want to make sure that continues to grow and is there for generations.” Despite the relatively dry and snowfree winter, the team at Hogadon Basin Ski Area is still working to get snow onto the slopes to give skiers a positive experience according to Lutz. The Natrona County and Kelly Walsh high school ski teams spend a few days a week practicing on the slopes. Besides regular weekend night skiing, the ski area also hosts promotional nights such as men’s night, and youth night. For adults, regular night ski lift tickets are a discounted $25. But Student Life offices make it even easier to hit the slopes my providing $15 ski vouchers for students. To get the voucher, students must bring student ID’s to the fourth floor Student Life Offices. Chris Stier, the Student Activities Coordinator at CC, works with the Hogadon Basin Ski Area to get the vouchers. “The ski vouchers have been actually a long work in process. I’ve been working with some people as part of the Hogadon Night Skiing Project. It was kinda put on hold last year with COVID, but they give a discount and Student Life offsets that cost for students. The same way it works with the movie tickets,” said Stier. Photo Courtesy of Adam Lutz A lone snowboarder rides the dark ominous lift ride towards — See Skiing, Page 3 the top of the mountain. Dance majors fueled by passion, not fear Jay M. Roccaforte Chinook Writer Jay M. Roccaforte/Chinook From front to back: Casper College students McKenzi Pieper, Kaitlin Koehn -- a graduate of the dance program -- Abigale Lipson, and Olivia "Liv" Daniels participate in a class led by instructor Jodi Jones. While Casper College dancers perform “Shadowed Winds and Ghost Roads” from late February through early March, many may be wondering what dance majors are all about. Dance majors make up a small majority of the students at Casper College, but the program impacts the students in a big way. CC offers many programs for students, but the dance majors choose their path for their clear love and admiration for the world of dance. Freshmen McKenzi Pieper and Abigale “BB” Lipson are just two lifelong dancers with passionate for the program. “I’ve been dancing since I was three,” Lipson said. “I could never see myself sitting in an office or doing any job where I wasn’t moving.” The head instructor of the dance program is Jodi Jones, and with CC being one of very few two-year schools to be accredited in dance, Jones said she is excited to see her performers grow during their time here. According to Jones, “Our job is not to grow professional dancers. Our job is to grow that artist to whoever or whatever they might find as their passion as they go through the program.” Jones also said she holds a firm belief that being a dance major is about more than performing. Dance majors follow an extensive and consistent routine that helps them grow in various ways. “Every day, I have two to three movement classes, then two to three other classes on top of that,” Lipson explained. “Then (I have) rehearsal from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m., and on Saturday’s, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.” While the heavy workload may be intimidating to many, the Dance majors at CC take it on by choice. According to Pieper, “It’s a lot, but it’s worth it. It keeps us busy. We’re not sitting around, twiddling our thumbs.” Many aren’t aware of how busy the world of dance can be, and Jones believes people share some other misconceptions about dance. “People think ‘oh, okay. They’re probably not really smart, they’re probably not good at anything, or they’re never gonna get a job,’” Jones said. However, in reality, Jones firmly believes in the program’s impact on her students. “What they’re going to — See Dance, Page 3 �Page 2 March 1, 2022 CHINOOK Chinook Stance Divine's Intervention: The generational divide John Watts J’s Journal Whether you’re a Baby Boomer, Generation X, or Generation Y, we all share the same thing in common: a disapproving opinion of Generation Z . No, but seriously, there is a pattern of con-secutive generations having resentment over the next generation. To answer the question of this fallacy, it is important to break down the demographics and significant world events that shaped the culture in which the populous was raised. Baby Boomers (1946-1964) grew up during the Cold War era and had the honors of following the greatest generation. They grew up during a time of economic growth, which gave birth to hard workers loyal to their occupations. Baby Boomers who don’t stay with one company for more than a decade are either born in the wrong generation or going through a mid-to-late life crisis. This generation is known to like rudimentary schedules, and they will almost always pre-fer a phone call over a text. Generation X (1965-1980) grew up during the Civil Rights movement, Space race, and Wa-tergate. This generation grew up in a time where it seemed more feasible to send a man to the moon than to have a computer fit in their pocket. The dynamics of family life changed drasti-cally as numerous women joined the workforce, and the American consumption lifestyle took off where houses got bigger, cars multiplied in people’s drives, and toys came in nearly every cereal box. Generation X is best known for their independent nature that they gained as a re-sult of very little parental supervision. Generation Y (1981-1995), better known as millennials grew up during the Reagan Era, Chal-lenger explosion, and the first mobile phone. This generation was raised by technology and Starbucks and have grown up to be cat and dog parents. Jokes aside, many millennials have postponed marriage to choose a career over having a family, as shown through a decline in population and the highest college participation numbers of any generation. Shaped less by physical labor and more by specialized jobs, many of them have softer hands and hearts. The biggest traits for millennials are the accepting of diverse work places, job-hopping, and equal pay and equality. Generation Z (1996-2012) grew up during the Iraq War, 9-11 attack, and a global recession. For them, airport security is a normal procedure, and paperless plane tickets along with Uber are the way to travel. With gas prices being so high, this generation truly doesn’t know the value of a dollar. All it takes to bridge the generational divide is to focus more on the similarities than the differ-ences. Every generation thinks the next generation is crazy, but couldn’t that be an age thing? Weren’t we all immature at some point? What happens when the generation who brought new life into this world needs help at the end of their life? Let us not make disrespect a stereotype; instead, let us establish respect as the new social norm. As long as Boomer doomer jokes are being made and millennials consume a ridiculous amount of avocados, our country will be held together by the glue of empathy in action. “ You have persevered through the most severe disruption in your life anyone has seen in decades, and thus I strongly suspect you can now approach and handle new obstacles better than ever before. — Darren Divine, Ph.D., Casper College President The Scottish philosopher Thomas Carlyle (1795-1961) once said “Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak.” The sentiment behind this quotation has often been an apt description of our students as many of you have overcome immense obstacles to not only make it to college, but to continue to persevere and complete your program. However, I believe this sentiment is more pronounced now than has been the case for quite some time. The COVID-19 Pandemic ushered in concerns, emotions, fiscal realities, and lifestyle changes on a scale not seen in our world for several generations. Quite simply, none of us have lived through anything similar. While it would be a bit premature to call the Pandemic “over,” most indicators point to the increasing likelihood we are exiting a pandemic and entering an endemic as seen with many other diseases the world lives with; it does appear the worst is likely behind us. So my question for you today is: What are you going to do now? How are you going to view and approach your goals and dreams moving forward, and how will you react to new obstacles? Certainly new obstacles will arise as inflation, political turmoil with the recent hostilities in Ukraine, and supply chain disruptions are just a few To click or not to click Kaley Pieper According to Kaley It’s 12 o’clock. I sit down for lunch. Buzz, buzz. The quick sound of a Snapchat notification vibrates the table as I start to eat. I quickly pick up my phone and check it, of course. Oh it’s just from that person? I’ll just answer them later. Buzz, buzz. The Instagram banner notification pops up on the top of my screen. My best friend from back home just posted for the first time in a while. I better go give it a like! Oh, it’s a selfie? That requires a cheesy comment too. Buzz, buzz. Another Snapchat. Buzz, buzz. A text message. Buzz, buzz. Now Twitter. I stop and check the time. 12:14. I start to eat my, now cold, cafeteria spaghetti. Did I really just spend 14 minutes staring at my phone? I look up at my friends sitting across from me at the table. I’ve barely said a word since we’ve sat down. I ask them how their day is going. But they’re on their phones too, and their answers are brief and distracted. Buzz, buzz. Another notification. But this time I pause before I turn over the screen to check. What was this incessive need that I felt to pick up my phone? Buzz, buzz. Maybe it’s something important. Buzz, buzz. “Look at me” it seems to scream. I pick up the phone and get sucked into the trap that we as a society have accidentally laid for ourselves. Social media integration is becoming more and more prominent in our society each day. Almost everyone has a phone in their pocket at any given moment. And while liking a cute picture of a kitten, sending silly filters to your friends, or catching up on the daily scoop by scrolling through Facebook might not seem too insidious, social media also has very negative effects on our individual brains and society as a whole. Forget hard drugs or nicotine, we are addicted to our phones. According to an article by Werner Geyser, a professional in social media and influencer marketing, social media platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram produce the same neural circuitry caused by gambling and recreational drugs. A constant stream of retweets, likes, and shares affects the brain's reward area and triggers the same kind of chemical reaction as other drugs, such as cocaine. Addiction isn’t the only negative The mind is the only limit... The most enlightened I have ever felt in Wyoming was at the recent 37th Annual Casper College Humanities Festival and Demorest lecture series. I became captivated by the stories and historical facts provided throughout the festival. Most, if not all the speakers had connections to Wyoming in some way or another. If I was forced to choose a favorite speaker, I simply could not. Every single presentation brought new valuable information to light. Reading these stories or historical events alone limits a very crucial understanding of the life experiences of the individuals who experienced them. Getting to hear the information presented by the speakers themselves felt like catching up with an old friend. The emotion current examples. My hope is you answer this question by recognizing you are stronger, wiser, and more confident than ever before. You have persevered through the most severe disruption in your life anyone has seen in decades, and thus I strongly suspect you can now approach and handle new obstacles better than ever before. As Carlyle might say, you have certainly proven you have a strong soul… could be felt in every word, connecting me to the history of these amazing people. I rejoiced in the possibility to join the conversation via Zoom call for the select meetings I could not physically attend. The experience in person most assuredly is the best way to enjoy the festival, but when I wasn’t able to attend the second day there was a means to keep me connected. The captivating narrative unfolded further at the end of every presentation when the floor opened up for questions to the live and online participants. Depending on what was asked, new areas of exciting details revealed themselves and intensified my interests significantly. Attending the festival, I found myself enjoying a variety of ideas presented in various arts such as a nonprofit bilingual radio station, filmmakers screening, award-winning playwright, extraordinary dance theater production, courageous sport activists, stunning musical performance, and life-changing speakers. Professor Tracey Owens Patton, Ph.D. used her own family history as a primary source for a largely erased history exploring issues of race during wartime in Germany. The research shared by Patton will live in my mind rent-free forever. I encourage everyone to attend the humanities festival in the future for you will not be disappointed. My only wish would be to have a higher turnout at the festival. Each Use the QR code on the left to enter our Spring Semester 2022 Customer Satisfaction Survey. impact social media has on our health and well-being. Social media statistics clearly show a negative correlation between social media use and self-esteem. When young people, especially young girls, scroll through Tik Tok and see all of the seemingly perfect lives and bodies of other “hotter” girls, it can be detrimental to their body confidence. "Photoshop and filters present people and things in their best light," says Jill M. Emanuele, PhD, the senior director of the Mood Disorders Center at the Child Mind Institute, "It creates a distorted fantasy world and raises the bar on what people perceive is 'the best' way to be." For a relatively new technology, the internet and social media have been integrated into our lives on a personal and professional level. But most people know the harmful effects it can have. So why do we use it? Why doesn’t everyone log off and unplug? It’s too convenient. It’s too addictive. We are sucked in. It’s hard to resist and easy to think that social media is just another part of our lives. But the next time you find yourself staring at your phone for hours on end, think about the time you spent staring at a screen that could’ve been used doing something else. Check your screen time. Is that really healthy to stare at a 5-inch screen for 3+ hours every day? Buzz, buzz. Is that Snapchat picture of half of someone’s face really worth feeding your growing addiction? Buzz, buzz. Don’t pick it up. Buzz, buzz. Go experience life. Buzz, buzz. Your phone can wait. meeting hosted only a handful of audience members, despite the festival's openness to the public. Maybe then we could gain more understanding of one another and spark conversations in our community. Wyoming as a whole needs to be exposed to humanitarian efforts and opinions. My personal experience in this state has been unpleasant because there tends to be more close-minded individuals focused most on their own personal liberties rather than any oppressed group. When I first moved here in 2019, it felt like I traveled back in time. The social aspect here feels very one-sided and forcefully so, as in people aren’t free to express themselves here without hostility. We could all benefit from impactful Max Tasche Max-imum Effort movements and caring more about timely issues rather than giving way to tradition and comfort. 2022 Graduation Speaker You can also enter the survey at https://tinyurl.com/y3byazz8 Enter your responses between February 28 and March 11 Would you like the honor of being the featured speaker at CC’s 2022 commencement? Did you graduate in Dec. 2021, or will you graduate in May 2022 or Summer 2022? Don’t miss this opportunity! The winner of this year’s competition will receive the honor of speaking at graduation, Friday, May 13, and receive a $500 scholarship to the transfer institution of their choice. 4 entries will be selected to Win $50 in Flex Bucks! Request an application from Megan Schafer at mschafer@caspercollege.edu. Applications are due Friday, March 18, 2022 Applications can be submitted via email to Megan Schafer at mschafer@caspercollege.edu Tryouts are Friday, April 8, 2022, 2-5 p.m. �March 1, 2022 Page 3 CHINOOK Parents.................................................... parents ask for when going through college. According to Owens, the program is assisting around 90 students this semester, but she suspects there are many more around campus without awareness of the program. Unfortunately, many students do not know about the program's benefits. Signing up for the program involves a few easy steps. There is a quick application on the CC website if searching “Single Parent” into the search bar, and the application is sent directly to Owens. From there a meeting is scheduled where she provides an overview of the program and what is needed to be fully accepted. “Eligibility requirements: You Skiing.......... cannot have a previous degree prior to the one you’re currently working on. You have to have completed the FAFSA and to receive the scholarship portion of it you have to maintain a minimum of a 2.0 GPA and a 67% competition rate. And oh, I mean, I guess the big one is that you have to be a primary custodial parent of continued from page 1 one or more of the kids. So I do ask for documentation to show that. Typically the documentation I get is court documents showing that you were awarded primary custody, or a birth certificate with only your name on it, or tax documents showing that you claim one or more of the kiddos,” Owen said. The program is busy at the beginning of the year with the textbook program, but many of the services are available year-round and the application is too. Owens said, “If you’re a single parent come see me, I always want more people, always. (I) always want my list to grow for sure.” continued from page 1 “That way it’s even cheaper for students to utilize. Where we live, it’s cold, so we have to take advantage of the outdoor opportunities that we have. It’s a great opportunity for students to get out there while being able to afford it.” Stier explained that the 2021-2022 academic year is the first year the college offers ski vouchers, so the college is piloting the program. At the end of the year, the college plans to evaluate the success of the program and make any changes to better the experience for students. As of now, the vouchers are only good for Friday and Saturday nights. “Knowing our students are in class up until that time, it worked out that it was a good opportunity to specifically our students and their schedules,” said Stier. Student Life also offers other activities for students to take advantage of during the winter months including movie nights, bingo, intramural sports, a comedian, and other events. Hogadon Basin Ski Area and Student Life work together to give students the opportunity to ski when it fits their schedule at an affordable price. Photo Courtesy of Adam Lutz Lutz shared his photo featuring the breathtaking view of the lights of Casper. The photo was taken from the top of Casper Mountain at Hogadon Basin Ski Area. Dance...................................................... Jay M. Roccaforte/ Chinook Front to back: McKenzi Pieper, Kaitlin Koehn, Abigale Lipson, and Olivia "Liv" Daniels dance in intermedia ballet I and II. learn and deal with on a daily basis are gonna give them all these amazing career skills! They’ll be able to go into any field they want to.” Jones said. A college student’s hardest decision is their major, and whether driven by fear or love, the decision can propel an individual into the next stage of their life. Lipson has always been passionate about dance, but needed an extra push to pursue her major in college. “I had a talk with my sister,” Lipson said. “I was afraid I wouldn’t be good enough, and she told me ‘you’ll get good enough.’” It seems like an impossible amount of devotion to many, Providing a place for life and faith Rachelle Trujillo Chinook Writer Casper College’s chapter of Campus Ventures is a non-denominational Christian organization that gives students individualized fellowship opportunities and helps them “figure out life and faith,” as promoted in the organization’s tagline. CV is an organization found on college campuses across the country. Students aren’t required or expected to identify with a certain religious background because the organization welcomes everyone. The organization’s “figuring out life and faith” message is geared towards college students as they leave behind their home churches and their family’s beliefs to begin a life of their own. Some students find the transition challenging. According to CV advisor Dave Weeks, the college age is one of the most tumultuous times in a person’s faith. “Students at this age can be wondering ‘what do I believe?’” Weeks said. “ ‘Do I walk through my own beliefs, my parents’, or do I need to start my own faith journey?’” Weeks knows all about this time of transition for students after serving as a CV volunteer for eight years prior to becoming a main advisor for the last 17. Over Weeks’ tenure, hundreds of students participated in CV at Casper College. His experiences with the group include cleanup following Hurricane Katrina, visiting Peru to work on local construction projects, and teaching the English language throughout areas in Mexico. “We don’t wanna just take, we want to give back,” Weeks said. The work doesn’t only extend internationally; community service is also an important component to CV. Around Natrona County, CV works with various food pantries, homeless shelters, and other non-profit organizations. Service is a cornerstone of what CV is about, but building relationships is equally important. First-year CV students Skylar Gott and Zachary Tenney are two of the roughly two dozen members this year. Gott, a Casper College nursing student from Indiana, said she is very grateful to be with the organization. “I met all my best friends through Campus Ventures,” Gott said. “It’s also just helped me grow my faith so much.” Tenney echoed a similar sentiment. “Once you reach that college age, you start thinking ‘where am I going in my life?’ Being a part of Campus Ventures says ‘I am going to make this [my faith] a part of my life’” said Tenney. Both Tenney and Gott said CV puts on countless activities to help foster such connections and spiritual growth. In fall of 2021, the group spent a few days in Rapid City, S.D. for a fall retreat. There, students spent time both together and individually worshiping in Chapel, doing devotionals, and listening to guest continued from page 1 and even though Pieper has also danced for 16 years, she says she wasn’t always confident in pursuing dance either. “I wasn’t positive on where I wanted to go with my life in the future,” Pieper said. “Thank you to my parents, who said ‘you should do this,’ and here I am!” According to Pieper, in her short time at CC, she’s grown more as a performer than she ever thought possible. Whether due to the instructors, the commitment, or the environment that comes with being a dance major, she is proud of her growth. “I’m finding what dance really is to me,” Pieper said. “The first 16 years of dancing, I really didn’t have an actual studio like here (at CC), but now that I have this environment, I’m like, ‘wow, this is what dance is!’” Everyone worries about their major at some point, but in Jones' experience, her students have never voiced regrets in pursuing their passions. Throughout one's time at Casper, the potential for growth is limitless. “If you’re really passionate about something, and that’s really where you are and who you are, you will never be miserable in what it is you’re doing,” Jones said. “The door is open. Follow your heart.” speakers. Over the summer, a special opportunity called Project Impact will be available to students. For the event, students who choose to participate will move to Denver, and spend the summer learning tangible ways to make faith a more prominent part of everyday life. While the major events are fun and exciting, the weekly meetings and regular get-togethers are just as impactful, according to Gott and Tenney. For the first time since before the pandemic, CV worked with Student Life this past February to host a Super Bowl watch-party in the T-Bird Nest. Looking to the end of the year, the organization is planning an end of the year party to provide food and fellowship to everyone who wants to attend. In between it all, CV students can be found skiing, snowshoeing, camping and more. “We do anything we can outside,” Weeks said. CV meets every Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Physical Science Building, room 103. Weekly meetings include small group discussions, devotionals, and guest speakers. Weeks expressed that students are welcome to email advisors, connect on Facebook or Instagram, or just sit in on a meeting to see everything for themselves. “Everyone has a faith of some sort in Photo Courtesy of Dave Weeks something,” Weeks said in closing. “It’s From left to right: CV members Sam Orr, Zachary Tenney, just about helping students walk through and Maisy Wilkson posed during an outdoor retreat in fall what theirs is.” 2021. Wellness Center introduces Nod app Nod supports students to build social connections in three ways: 1. Ideas: Prompts based on the science of social connection that help you take action. 2. Reflections: Short in-app exercises help students process social experiences, track their mood, reduce self-criticism, and build resilience so you can keep progressing toward your social goals. 3. Testimonials: Real student perspectives on social connection to help you learn from others and understand the ups and downs along the way. Connect with a Wellness Center counselor for a deeper dive into reaching your social goals. Call 307-268-2267 Join our staff this fall! 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 �Page 4 CHINOOK March 1, 2022 T-Birds to Region IX Tournament Abigail Landwehr/Chinook Shooting a free throw, sophomore Peter Turay playing forward for the CC Men’s Basketball team, takes his aim at the basket during a home match against Central Wyoming College on Saturday evening. The game was won by the T-Birds with a score of 91-75. Following the game's win, the team has qualified for the Region IX Tournament where the team will travel to La Junta, Colorado during the upcoming week to enter the bracket as the No. 3 seed in the North sub-region. Abigail Landwehr/Chinook Men's Head Basketball Coach, Shaun Gutting, addresses his team during a timeout as a part of Saturday’s game. Abigail Landwehr/Chinook (Above) Belen Morales Lopez, a sophomore playing point for the Lady T-Birds, goes in for a layup during a home game against Snow College earlier in the season. The game was won by Snow 69-68. “I’ve improved my game a lot,” Lopez said. “I am really happy with the steps I am making and hopefully I can help my team to get the Championship of Region 9.” The Lady T-Birds have won the South Sub Region with a record of 10-0 and are starting to get into the regional tournament. According to the National Junior College Athletic Association, the Casper College Women’s Basketball Team is currently placed 15th in the Division 1 rankings. (Left) In hope to send luck to the players, the student section directs “spirit fingers” towards one of the CC players shooting a free throw during a home game. �March 1, 2022 Page 5 CHINOOK A hot take on fire science Julie Seidel Chinook Writer In service for over 13 years, the Fire Science Association at Casper College is an excellent program that produces hard working firefighters. Life as a firefighter can be both physically and intellectually testing. The Fire Science Association is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary for fire service employment. Not all fire departments require an academic degree to get a job, so some may wonder why students seek such a degree. Students choose to further their education in fire science, as the coursework provides critical knowledge that can help them better protect the community. The formal degree can lead to promotion opportunities and additional career options too. “If you want to become a firefighter, you have to become a servant of the community,” said Dale Anderson, the fire science instructor at CC. Anderson’s work with the program started 27 years ago. In the beginning, he worked as a firefighter and participated in the program part time. Once he retired as a fireman, Anderson became a full time employee and took on a larger role in the program by developing the Fire Science Association 13 years ago. The association is student run, which means the CC students elect their own leaders at the beginning of each school year. The students strive to help out the community by attending community service events like Mealson-Wheels and the Special Olympics Jackalope Jump. When students select their fire science major, they are a part of the program. About 35 students currently attend the program at CC. According to Anderson, even though not all of the students participate in the Fire Science Association, they continue to show good leadership and attendance at events. The fire science coursework includes very few practical exercises. To counter, the Fire Science Association focuses primarily on such practical exercises. The students of the association are able to participate in more events, such as the maze. The students love to gather on Friday nights to enjoy some pizza and participate in the maze, according to Anderson. The maze includes multiple training props, such as the trap door. These real life situations simulate the experiences the students will partake in as firefighters. The practical exercises promote team building and provide the opportunity for students to get to know one another. According to Anderson, once the members build a community within the association, they are able to help their local community. Along with all the volunteer work the association also participates in profitable opportunities. The association contributes to the community by providing vending at the Ford Events Center in Casper during state events, and in return the association receives a bit of funding for the association. Due to COVID, the association has not used much of their income. “And the only thing I ask is that half goes to a non-profit,” said Anderson. “But since COVID, the last two years, they haven’t done much of anything with their half of the money.” Kathy Thomas, the Natrona County Republican Women committee co-chair, recently reached out to Anderson in December to get help with the Veterans Wreath Pickup, a nonprofitable event, at the Oregon Trail State Veterans Cemetery. Thomas requested the students in the Fire Science Association help place the wreaths a week before Christmas and regather them at the end of January. Even though the timing clashed with the CC’s holiday break, the association still had a turnout of 20 students. Thomas emphasized that the event could not have happened without the support of the Fire Science Association. Dominic Jahr, a 20 year-old member of the Fire Science Association said, “I really enjoyed helping out with the wreath pickup. It was a blast and I am happy to help my community.” Jahr joined the Fire Science Association at the start of the 2021 fall semester. Jahr stated. the dangerous life of a firefighter was not always his dream. He participated in many extracurricular activities, such as football, basketball, and he even earned a scholarship to run track. Jahr said his uncle, brother, and a couple of his friends introduced him to the world of fire science when they took an interest in the major. According to Jahr, the job is not for everybody because of the dangerous aspect of it all, but after becoming a part of the program, he quickly accepted the challenge. He said he hopes to soon join the Evansville Fire Department as a volunteer or possibly a part time firefighter. “Being a part of the association, I’m definitely learning far more than I would’ve in just the fire science program,” said Jahr. Jahr is a servant of the community and he plans on staying that way. He participated in serving food at Wyoming Rescue Mission, our local homeless shelter, for two years. He said such activities created who he is today, and without them he is not sure if he would have become a servant of the community. “One of the main things I get out of the association is public speaking,” says Jahr. “You learn how to publicly speak in front of the community as a firefighter.” He said his community service has taught him to be more of a people person and develop an outgoing personality. In developing his communication skills, Jahr feels like he is one step closer to becoming the best firefighter possible. According to Jahr, firefighting is one of the most fulfilling and respectable callings in the world. In addition to the fact that one gets to save individuals lives, you also become responsible for keeping the community under control in a crisis. A fireman must be a brave, daring individual with strong critical thinking, and quick decision making abilities. “You can go and help an elderly lady that fell down, and at the end of the day she would bring you some freshly baked cookies,” quoted Jahr. “It is not just going into houses that are on fire, but the small things you can do to make your community a better place.” Julie Seidel/Chinook Pictured above is the fire science students supply lockers at Casper College. Julie Seidel/Chinook Focused above is Dominic Jahr's personal locker, also located at Casper College. www.caspercollege.edu/chinook Taking online or hybrid courses? Students: We make sure you are able to access online learning resources needed to learn in your classes. We will also help you learn to utilize the digital tools available to you for all your classwork. Examples of items we can help with: 1. MyCCMoodle — including how to submit assignments, participate in forums, etc. 2. ZOOM – help you learn to access and use Zoom for your remote course meetings and collaborations 3. Google Suite — Google Docs, Drive, GMail, etc. 4. Accessing Office 365 .- such as MS Word and PowerPoint 5. Online tutoring — How and where to get extra help as you need it, using NetTutor. Plus a lot more! Contact us. Don’t wait! Get your Questions answered now. Teresa Pat Mike Tyler For help or more information stop by Liesinger Hall, room 132 or contact us at 307-268-3882, dlc@caspercollege.edu, and av@caspercollege.edu. Dave Camille �Page 6 March 1, 2022 CHINOOK Forensics: Building a generation of advocates John Watts Chinook Writer Casper College's Forensics Team posed for a team photo. Pictured in the back row (left to right) is Brax Sambrano, Shelby Davis, Curtis Winfrey, Jay Roccaforte, Emma Rudell and Alex Walters. Front (from left to right) is Markie Whitney, Pearl Taylor, Violet Wright, Hart Doherty, and Emma Kellick. The Casper College Forensics Team participates in competitive speech and debate on campus where advisors and students are focused on building a generation of advocacy through strong, confident speech. The forensics team is made up of full-time students who write, practice, and perform many different styles of speech. According to Casper College student Jay M. Roccaforte, it is not uncommon for many students with a forensics background in high school to partner with college freshman who have little to no experience. According to Casper College’s assistant forensics director and communication instructor Ethan Fife, the main reasons for students to join forensics is to work on communication skills, discuss subjects on a deeper level, and then advocate on a platform. Fife mentioned the benefits forensics gives to students. “The students get a space to debate in a safe and structured environment,” said Fife, adding that the environment allows for a “deeper level of discussion than surface- layer encounters in public.” In a recent interview, Douglas Hall, CC forensics director and communications instructor, mentioned the social platform available to each student. “The students no longer see Forensics as a game but as an opportunity to make a change.” Due to the structure and the forensics no topic is off-limits rule, every student can use their position and voice to be the change that both Fife and Hall talked about. Hall said, “The thing I enjoy the most about teaching is ticipate in the Annual Platte River Clean-Up. In January, the group participated in Martin Luther King Jr. Day events, including Casper’s annual march on Monday, then on Friday the group volunteered with Project Homeless Connect. According to Erich Frankland, a political science instructor who started serving as the faculty advisor for Campus Democrats in 1998, “The current leadership is really focused on social justice. They really want to engage with the community and do volunteer work.” Campus Democrats continue to work on the creation of the Casper Freedom Trail in conjunction with ServeWyoming, a project that started two years ago. The project started as a way to engage the community during the pandemic. they can do to change things in Wyoming, as well as get them involved with meaningful causes. “If you care about not only your Casper community, but your country at large, this is a group that will inform you on key issues and give you an opportunity to make a difference” Frankland stated. “This is a group that is welcoming to different political views and perspectives, even if you feel you lean conservative or Republican, we aren't going to exclude you. You can really make an impact in state and local politics as part of this group” In March, the Campus Democrats will travel to Cheyenne to watch the Wyoming State Legislature in action and learn more about Wyoming politics. Photo and Courtesy of Cory Garvin Jay Roccaforte posed for a photo as a member of the Casper College Forensics team. Submitted Photo getting to watch the students develop and become impassioned advocates as competitors and individuals.” Under the guidance of Hall and Fife, a generation of advocates are born. Roccaforte explained that each forensics student is required to compete in four different events over the course of a semester, and they accomplish this by choosing from a list of events including: persuasive speaking, informative speaking, communication analysis, after dinner speaking, Lincoln-Douglas debate, parliamentary debate and many different interpretational events. Students competing in speech create a ten minute speech for each of their events, which will result in 40 minutes of content created and memorized annually. Memorization is in the back of every forensics student’s mind, and they can often fade into thinking about their speeches through the day. Roccaforte, who is still memorizing and perfecting the speeches he created in early fall 2021, said, "You have to be careful not to be the kid walking down a school hallway with an open mouth rehearsing your speech.” Before the students can commit their speech to memory, they must first give birth to the ideas and issues they want to raise. For many students, the process of writing a speech starts by collecting newspaper clippings, film segments, social media posts and other forms of media that will inspire and support their message. Two other elements in creating a speech come in the form of character studies, which provide a relatable emotion, and tropes (figures of speech) from movies and plays. Once the speech reaches full maturity and is ready for competition, it is up to the speaker to make the words on the page come alive. Roccaforte said the best way for the speaker to connect with the audience is to “present a familiar topic that will develop into a new point of view.” This new vantage point allows a persuasive argument to take place and form within a ten-minute time constraint. To gain recognition from the judges the speech must be, as Roccaforte said, “organized and effective in delivering the topic.” Once these two pieces are in place, the speaker will put on a performance with the varying inflections and complementary gestures taught in forensics. While Forensics is a competitive team, the work impacts individual students directly. Roccaforte confirmed forensics’ effectiveness when he said, “Speech was an opportunity to find my voice and become more confident” and it “changed how I live every facet of my life.” Roccaforte explained that whether speech comes in carrying on an intellectual conversation or confidently asking or answering a question in class, he possesses the tools to communicate effectively. The tools Roccaforte and his fellow classmates build are as Fife described as an open-minded approach to free speech, respectful debate, inclusivity, and diversity with unity. Within this environment, team members embody impassioned advocates, as Hall discussed, they share the advocacy platform Fife mentioned, and they use their new-found voice to communicate like Roccaforte. Campus Democrats represent in community Violet Wright Chinook Writer Casper College student organization, the Campus Democrats is a multifaceted group that invites students to learn about how students can impact their community. The organization is the oldest on campus and involves students in many different ways. The group emphasizes political education, specifically on issues that affect students in Wyoming. Additionally, the group is involved with many service projects around Casper. e group already completed three service projects this academic year. In September, the Campus Democrats were one of two campus groups invited by the Bureau of Land Management to par- The trail allows people to tour sites that are part of Casper Civil Rights Movement history. Skyler Nelson, a nursing student at CC and the President of the Campus Democrats explained, “I think the turn-out could be a lot more. If we get the word out more I think a lot of people in our community would be interested in things like the Martin Luther King Day service,” she said. “It really brings everyone together in such a beautiful way.” The group might have “democrats” in the name, but it is open to all students on campus regardless of political leanings. The group is mainly student-led and currently focused on helping students gain a better understanding of what Photo Courtesy of Skyler Nelson Skyler Nelson, a nursing student at CC and member of the Campus Democrats, studies for classes. �March 1, 2022 Page 7 CHINOOK Using stickers as a form of self-expression Abigail Landwehr Chinook Writer Walking into almost any spot on campus and seeing students at work on devices will most likely give one a look at a newer rends among college kids -- a trend that’s doing two things, adding some color to a plain laptop lid and giving a glimpse into personalities without uttering a single word. Stickers showcase everything from school logos to obscure movie references, and the colorful decor is becoming a more common sight on student’s devices. Sometimes there’s only one or two, and other times the owner plastered their device with so many that it’s hard to tell what was originally underneath. Ellie Vaughn, a sophomore at Casper College majoring in psychology, scattered about 12 stickers on display across her laptop lid. She said she received most of the stickers randomly for free but a couple of them represent more meaningful backstories. “The ‘life is simple’ one I got from my little brother before I moved away for college,” Vaughn said, referring to a sticker of a mountain with the phrase written underneath. “The cat with lots of eyes my roommate bought me when we first moved here, and the lgbtqia+ flag I got because I consider myself an ally of the community.” She said she understood the idea behind students using the stickers to express themselves. “I’ve been told a lot of different things about what people first think when they see me,” Vaughn said. “Sometimes people think I don’t look friendly, or I look like someone I’m not. But I think that if someone sees the stickers, they kind of say who I am.” Another member of the laptop decorating committee is Douglas Hall, a communications instructor at the college. A couple of the stickers on his device’s lid include a sticker from the Casper College Forensics team Hall directs, the logo of a board game, and references to the ‘90s TV show Twin Peaks. “It kind of communicates a little bit of my personality,” Hall said about his stickers. “Like if you recognize the stickers, that would, you know, probably start a whole conversation.” The most notable of Hall’s stickers is a red rectangle with white text reading, “don’t be chicken” in all caps. “I put it on here because whenever [students are] doing their stuff, they can see the back of my computer only,” Hall said. “It seems appropriate because we need them to do big brave things.” He said he collected the sticker from a box of artificial chicken nuggets he bought a while back. “It's a way to communicate Abigail Landwehr/Chinook who you are,” Hall added about the stickers. “Or at least put Markie Whitney prepares for forensics competition in the squad room with Doug Hall, comsome form of self-expression munication instructor and head coach of the college's forensics team. Hall puts stickers all over the lid of his laptop as a form of motivation and expression. onto your devices.” Casper College theater: A look behind the scenes Isabella Coronado Chinook Writer Students involved in theater at Casper College shared the stereotypes put on them because of their interests. No one really knows what theater is actually about until experiencing it for themselves. Many judge theater before learning what goes into putting on a production. Theater requires a variety of skillsets. Kaitlin Koehn, a native of Riverton, Wyo. spoke about her theater experience and wanting to be a part of productions as a department specialist. Koehn started out as a dancer, though she said once she started CC’s dance program as a student, theater also peaked her interest. One of her friends that attended CC studied theater performance major and another musical theater. Koehn said she attended dance shows, plays, and musicals with her friends. “I think really through those two friends of mine, I found a love and appreciation for theater,” Koehn said. Koehn said she thinks it’s common for people to stereotype theater kids as dramatic. While such an assumption is not always incorrect, she said people just tend to take it the wrong way, meaning everyone looks at it as a bad thing. Koehn said, “It’s almost like we’re one big family, and I think that makes them more comfortable and outgoing. And just like any family, there’s always drama, and I think because of that they tend to be more comfortable with each other.” Anastasia Zetl is a current student at CC majoring in Musical Theatre. Zetl is from Casper, Wyo. where she started doing theater in fourth grade. She’s currently helping with tech for the production that they are working on now which is The Shadowed Winds and Ghost Roads, as well as working on the crew for the recent productions of Narnia and Mamma Mia. Growing up, Zetl said she loved watching movies and seeing shows, and she always wanted to be a part of something like that. With her degree, she said she hopes to find successful theater, fulfillment, and to be able to help others emotionally through art that she expresses while putting on a production. Zetl said one of the biggest stereotypes theater kids withstand is the notion that they’re annoying and talk a lot. “For the most part it’s true. I’ve met lots of people who are very flamboyant, are very expressive, and in touch with their emotions,” said Zetl. Zetl expressed her feelings on what she wished people knew about theater kids. She said many people have a perception of the way theater kids think or the way they act, and so they tend to keep boundaries from getting to know theater kids. Zetl said she wishes people knew that theater kids enjoy a lot of the same things everybody else does in other departments, and that they’re not always “weird.” At the end of the day, Zetl What’s your next move? said everybody is weird and theater kids get a lot of judgment because they’re doing something that is out of the comfort zone of a lot of people. Another current student talked about her experience in CC’s theater program. Elizabeth Crowley is a native from Wheatland, Wyo. currently in her second year as a double major in multimedia (communication), but she said she mainly focuses on her major in technical theater. She contributed to every show in the last two years and is now focusing on aspects like stage management, the more technical aspects of putting on a production. Crowley said she wants to use her degree and work in big theaters or just within the theater industry. She realized that a lot of people in theater were similar to her and ended up having the same thinking process as she did. From a technician's point of view, Crowley talked about how she wished people knew there is much more than going on stage and just performing for theater kids. She said, “Not everybody is a performer. Normally when people think of theater kids, they always just think of performers, but there are technicians, builders for sets, and just a lot more aspects than people think,” said Crowley. Crowley described theater in one word. She said, “Overwhelming but in a good way.” Although several stereotypes about theater exist, Koehn, Zetl, and Crowley all recommend theater, sharing in the sentiment that working on a production is a good experience, and there’s a job for everyone. Zetl said it’s a perfect way to express oneself while not feeling judged. Putting on a production requires many specialties and significant time. The process can also prove emotionally draining, but as hard as theater is, Koehn, Zetl, and Crowley agreed they wouldn’t change it for anything. WRITING CENTER The Writing Center at Casper College is here to help our students and members of the community. Max Tasche/Chinook Nathan Baker, music theory coordinator and faculty advisor for the thunderboards gaming club, recently smiled for a photo on campus. Max Tasche Chinook Writer The Casper College Thunderboard Gaming Club plays board games in the music building for two hours once a week to provide social engagement and promote strategic thinking. It all started back in the fall of 2017 thanks to a couple of computer science majors who approached Nathan Baker, now faculty adviser for the club, due to his reputation for liking board games. Baker came up with the name, "Thunderboards" as a play on words for CC’s thunderbird mascot. Like every club at CC, there are certain requirements, it is not all just fun and games. The club's main service project involved playing games with the Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming. The club still operates in a leadership structure, with officer positions assigned to students and staff, and they volunteer a certain amount of hours. Officers meet before the games begin to cover the Thunderboards basic club requirements, and then it is off to gaming. The club is uniquely situated in a crossover of nerd-dom and familiar home activity, it helps bridge the gap between outgoing people and the more reclusive types. Those who want an avenue to explore getting to know others can find a safe space to develop friendships and socialize. The Thunderboards supply social stimulation, and also a stress-free environment to just take a break and provide amusement. Baker put the club into perspective, “It’s a great opportunity to just blow off some steam, you know? College is a lot of work, especially for a lot of our students who are also working a part-time job to take care of things, and sometimes it’s just nice to show up, have a place to relax and unwind, and beat someone up on the game board.” Catelyn McCardle is a sophomore at CC who recently joined the club in the fall of 2021 without any prior board game experience. She explained, “I don’t think that we have to be serious in getting down to business all the time. You don’t have to think unless you’re thinking about what your next move is.” Both Baker and McCardle share a common opinion of how unique the club is compared to others on campus. McCardle wants to assure everyone Thunderboards is a place to vacation from your burdens, “It’s all just about getting together playing some games, having some fun, and leaving your classes outside of the door because this is where you simply just kind of escape reality for a moment, and I think everybody could use an escape from reality sometimes. I don’t think you can get that in many other clubs.” Degrees and certifications require a lot of attention. The Thunderboards understand such pressure and actively seek members to come hang out to share in the fun. The club is open for all interested and there is no player limit, and those interested are free to contact Nathan Baker at nbaker@ caspercollege.edu. Baker spends most of his time in the music building where he reserves a room, not too far from his office MU 210, to bring all his games. The club is still deciding a time to meet for the spring semester. Brainstorm possible paper topics Create a resume Craft a scholarship essay And so much more! 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 � 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 2022-03 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. 2022-03 Description An account of the resource This is a copy of the online Chinook Newspaper from March 2022. 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_2022-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/38f9a8c09ee762ccf516f7a91f29b146.pdf 6d211eacad0d4e27f54d95893ee7d63d PDF Text Text April 1, 2022 Casper College’s Student Voice Since 1945 Post-winter wellness in the final stretch Jay M. Roccaforte Chinook Writer As Casper College students emerge from another intense Wyoming winter, students are mentally exhausted from the stress the weather can bring. With the last months of the school year on the way, people are looking for ways to manage their mental health. Kelly Green is a counselor in the Wellness center on the CC campus, located in UU 215. As one of multiple resources for students on campus, Green provided information on what students often go through around this time of year. “For students who are about to graduate, there can be increased anxiety about what life after college might look like,” Green explained. “For students who aren’t graduating, they may experience increased anxiety this time of year if they aren’t sure what their summer plans are, or if they’re returning home to a difficult home or family environment.” Emma Rudell is a freshman criminal justice major in her second semester at CC. Rudell provided insight into her experience dealing with stress. “There’s an extra weight added to people who are only in their first year of college,” Rudell explains. “You have to come back next year. If you fail a class, you have to see that teacher again. That adds a lot of stress.” According to Green, stress is unavoidable. Green stressed that students need to maintain healthy levels of stress, especially later in the semester. “To prevent major stress buildup, I would encourage students to make sure they have regular, sacred time in their schedule to release stress,” Green said. Rudell shared her tactics for releasing stress. She encourages students to surround themselves with people and support. “The best thing that people Jay M. Roccaforte/Chinook A Casper College student visits with Robynne Buckingham, a member of the Wellness Center staff. The Wellness Center is located on the second floor of the Union/University building, Room 202A (UU 202A). Students can seek both counseling and — See Wellness, Page 3 student health services from the Wellness Center. Call 307-268-2267 for more information. Fight for your right to parley! Max Tasche/Chinook Linda Toohey, the associate vice president for Student Services and the Title IX coordinator at Casper College, spoke with the Chinook about communication on campus and best practices going forward. Max Tasche Chinook Writer Students at Casper College are actively seeking better communication channels. Communication breakdown is the most common complaint all around campus, according to dozens of students polled on campus. Constructive criticism and suggestions flow through the air. When asked, the solutions presented by these students included meetings or assemblies to gather and speak up on issues, grievances, and concerns. However, such avenues already exist. Student Senate is an association composed of students and academic representatives that actively advocate on behalf of the student body by voicing concerns and opinions to leadership and administration. The senate meets every Wednesday, at 5:30 p.m., providing a constructive space open to all students. At the helm of this advocacy ship is Student Senate President Logan MacKearney. When speaking on the effectiveness of the senate, MacKearney admitted the biggest issue in student representation is the meetings' low attendance. "It is not what most students want to be doing on a Wednesday evening at 5:30. Or they don't know that they can show up to it," said MacKearney. With measures like Student Senate already in place, one may wonder why students feel unheard. Accessibility plays a part. Linda Toohey is the associate vice president for Student Services and the Title IX coordinator, a position that puts her in the middle of student needs and efficacy. She is also part of another assembly, the CC Care Team, made up of a multidisciplinary group of faculty and staff who actively receive and solve reports ranging from concern over a student to sinister characters on campus, according to Toohey. She is hyperaware that people just do not know she exists, and she said she has noticed that students don't realize there are resources for them out there. She also acknowledged the fear that plays a part in the effectiveness of the college programs. "I feel like I wouldn't hesitate to call any of the Deans, knowing we will collaborate for a solution. But I know from a student perspective, that [comfortability in approaching a Dean] takes more practice,” said Toohey. Students talked about how to amend the ways in which they are able to air grievances and voice concerns. Many students, including some in leadership roles, are spearheading debate over utilizing newer means of communication. These students are advocating for text messaging as the primary form of conversation and even social media campaigns. "My biggest harp is that email is the central communication for everything," MacKearney said. "I would find a way to find a more direct communication approach because emails get lost very easily." A sticking point in the conversation seemingly is generational disagreement. Faculty and staff, when approached with these ideas, heavily favor traditional means of message transmission. Toohey said she recognizes the power of social media but emphasized her preferred message delivery. She said, "I just think if there was a way to streamline email, it is just the easiest way to communicate." To provide accessible communication, a potential solution presented by the students is in the works: The use of QR codes. With small card plaques placed in every building and for every department on campus, Student Senate and other organized advocates can receive feedback and see issues in real-time. Students, staff, and faculty could file a concern or add a suggestion at the height of relevancy. Functioning similarly to the already available Student Senate suggestion box, QR codes act as a visual reminder that your voice is heard if you want to communicate, and the opportunity to do so would literally exist around every corner. MacKearney said he believes Student Senate could easily utilize the codes. "It’s a quick anonymous way to say ‘hey I disagree with how this works on campus,’ and that gives us [those in Student Senate] an idea like, ‘oh this [whatever concern brought up through a QR code] is an issue to somebody, let’s see if this is an issue that more people are facing.’ It then gives us a chance to go around, pull other students, and see if that is an issue." Resident Assistants ensure comfortable campus life Jacob Klaudt Chinook Contributor Working the front desk and enforcing rules isn’t everything that resident assistants at Casper College do to keep students safe and secure around the clock. Resident assistants can get a bad rap due to the fact that they enforce rules that sometimes students aren't willing to follow. In turn, most students fail to recognize the everyday tasks they perform to keep residents happy. "The RAs are students too," Jessica Bailey, Residence Hall Area Coordinator, said. "RAs are educators. They are advocates. They are resources. They’re whatever students need." Resident assistants sacrifice personal time, create programming, and monitor the living quarters occupied by students at CC. Each year the resident assistant roles garner a lot of interest. According to Bailey, resident assistants are not always the stereotypical "super outgoing, super communicative people that people often associate with the RA role," which attracts a lot of different people who bring different strengths to the table. Students can take one of two routes when becoming a resident assistant: an application or a referral. Anyone who believes a fellow resident excels in being a personable student, a great leader, and an attentive listener can refer another student to Student Life to become a RA. CC sophomore and resident assistant Heather Wallace shared that her beginnings as a resident assistant did not follow the traditional path. "I kind of got put in at an awkward time in the school year because they had a very sudden opening," Wallace said. According to Wallace, after a referral, the Student Life office reaches out to the resident with an application. Next, a panel of judges interviews the candidate to make sure they are fit for the job and notifies them a couple of days later with their decision. After one becomes a resident assistant, they take on many different duties that come along with the role. Sorting mail, filling out paperwork, answering questions, and handling COVID-19 cases make up the 12 hours of desk work each assistant completes each week. Assistants also commit to completing 12 to 24-hour shifts of duty work per week, which consists of multiple patrols around the dorms and — See RAs, Page 4 Photo Courtsey Jacob Klaudt Shown to the left is a photo of the Mural Project, which is part of resident assistant programming at Casper College. �Page 2 Chinook Stance Divine's Intervention: “ It doesn’t need to be this hard Rachelle Trujillo Rachelle's Reflections Though I think the days of fad diets are coming to an end, I think our culture continues to have an extremely unhealthy view of, well, health. I remember being younger and obsessing over weight loss. I wish I would’ve known that intense workout regimes and restrictive diet plans were not the best for my mental or physical health. I’m really glad to have moved beyond this mindset, but I think it’s something so many people still grapple with. I have friends who are trying to lose weight or build muscle and are convinced that the only way to do so is to spend hours weight lifting in the gym and cutting out all unhealthy food. Something I’ve been working towards in all areas of my life is making the less enjoyable things enjoyable. It’s so important to listen to our body and not resist our wants, needs, and energy levels. We need to get off of this one track mindset in which there is only one way to do anything. As far as working out goes, I believe the best way to be healthy is to move in a way that you find enjoyable. You don’t have to go to the gym everyday if that’s not what you’re into. You don’t even have to do the same things everyday if you don’t feel like it. If you like to swim, go for a long swim. If you prefer at home workouts, do those. If your energy levels are lower on any given day, allow yourself to rest. Do a short stretch routine or even park just a little further from your classes for a longer walk. If you give yourself options, flexibility and grace, you will have very little resistance to making moves towards your health goals on a daily basis. The same principle applies to healthy eating. Why are we so hard on ourselves for eating unhealthy foods or “falling off track”? Satisfaction matters. Sure, healthy foods should be a major component of anyone’s lifestyle, but negative self talk only makes things worse. It’s so important to plan our meals and account for both healthy foods and unhealthy foods. And regardless, we should be making sure that it all tastes good! Healthy eating is not all salads, chicken, and vegetables. It should be fun, enjoyable, and satisfying. In all areas of life, I think we could all use more flexibility in our mindsets. There are so many different ways to reach our goals even though we often get fixated on one given path. Get creative, try new things, and most importantly enjoy. It’s time we start having fun in life while working towards what we want. Being healthy, just like working towards any of our goals, doesn’t need to be this hard. April 1, 2022 CHINOOK The American educational reformer and President of Antioch College, Horace Mann, once said “Do not think of knocking out another person's brains because he differs in opinion from you. It would be as rational to knock yourself on the head because you differ from yourself ten years ago.” Conflict has always been a part of the human race, and will never be eliminated. Whether we are referencing all-out armed conflict as currently I am certainly not suggesting each of us go through life looking for, and expecting, conflict around every turn, but I am suggesting maintaining a mindset that conflicts may arise at any level of our lives, ensures you will not be taken completely off-guard, and thus be more prepared to meet the challenge as presented. — Darren Divine, Ph.D., Casper College President witnessed in the Ukraine, or something much less violent such as the recent Oscars Ceremony in Los Angeles, or even something as simple as a disagreement between two individuals about what movie to go see, given enough time, conflict is inevitable. Thus the pragmatic question is not will you be involved in conflict, but how will you respond to such conflict when it arises. While I will not try to provide sage advice on how to avoid conflict, or strategies on how to address disagreements once they arise, I will offer one way to be better prepared is always being aware of the possibility, and having potential avoidance or coping strategies at the ready. Whether the issue at hand is where to go to dinner, how to raise children, what to do about crime rates, or how to deal with unwanted neighbors, the possibility of conflict, at some level, is always present and thus simply ignoring that Legacy Thursday, March 24, 2022 -- I sit down on the hospital room floor next to my dad who is quickly failing. The doctors say he only has a few more hours to live. It is hard to explain the feelings that overcome a person at those words, so I will do my best to explain the feelings I am going through. I feel convicted to try my hardest every single day to follow an unbelievable legacy built. I am not angry at God, but I praise Him for the life he has given my dad and the qualities he has instilled in him. I have learned that it is not the physical strength that defines a person, but it is the morals and mental fortitude one exudes. My dad has lost a lot of muscle mass through 14 years of blood cancer and after now being laid up for three weeks on a ventilator. But when I take one look at him, all I can see is strength -- strength to fight through a deadly cancer to be there to raise his kids and be a faithful husband to his wife. Strength to take countless blood transfusions and undergo many surgeries and operations without complaint. As I look to the future, I can only hope to have half the strength my dad possesses as he lays on his death bed. Legacy is not the items you collect or the buildings you establish, but rather the lives you change. I have never heard my dad say a swear word in the 19 years I have been alive, and that is because he believes a man should be able to have self-control and respect towards his fellow man, for which he checks every box. When flashbacks of memories strike the core of my thoughts, the images I see are not the memories alone, but the character he exuded in his every action. When he taught me how to ride a bike, he showed me patience, encouragement, safety with calculated risk. He also showed me the toughness it takes to get back up after you fall. Failing is something I hardly ever saw my dad do because he had the knowledge and foresight of what can and will happen, and he used wisdom and judgment to execute anything he did to the best of his abilities. The wisdom and trials he conquered are a part of his legacy. I will always measure twice and cut once. I will always pull down on a ratchet strap and say, “that’s not going anywhere,” and I will always try my hardest never to complain because someone has it harder in the world than I do. I truly reality is likely a very poor strategy for either avoidance, or coping. In sum, I am certainly not suggesting each of us go through life looking for, and expecting, conflict around every turn, but I am suggesting maintaining a mindset that conflicts may arise at any level of our lives, ensures you will not be taken completely off-guard, and thus be more prepared to meet the challenge as presented. John Watts J's Journal believe God has placed an innate ability in my dad’s heart, and he has changed the lives of everyone he has touched, which is more than any object or building could ever do. What does a legacy mean to me? A legacy to me is a family surrounding a faithful man during his final breaths and wanting to live up to his standards -- standards that could not be measured by fame, wealth, or money but the influence someone leaves behind on earth. In dedication of Randy C. Watts Sharing the search for recycling resources Jay M. Roccaforte The Roccaforte Rundown When I first arrived at my dorm to begin my freshman year at Casper College, my biggest worry wasn’t food, being away from home, or even making friends. I was worried about trash. Specifically, I was worried about recycling. Freshman college students are often not explicitly informed on places to recycle on campus, and I hadn’t given it much thought until that point. Even after research, the Casper College website showed no clear mention of recycling, only that students should remember to bring a trash can for move-in day. Regardless, the first day of classes came and went, and after using my flex bucks to get bottled water daily, my dorm room was beginning to fill with plastic. The CC campus has designated bins for recycling in most buildings. However, I and many other students have noticed that the Residence Hall is not one of these buildings, even though this is the most logical place to have accessible recycling options. I spend most of my time in my dorm, so I can’t walk to the Union building every time I have an empty bottle. Simply put, I had no effective way of being environmentally conscious in my new home. I’ve attempted to find new solutions to this problem and have come up dry. At one point, I stored plastics in one of my empty clothing drawers just so I didn’t have to see what had piled up. I even brought a bag of plastics on my morning walk from the dorms to class, but that got tedious fast. So, with no better choice, I threw them away in the Residence Hall dumpster. And that’s how I’ve been doing things. However, everything changed Wellness Center introduces Nod app Nod supports students to build social connections in three ways: 1. Ideas: Prompts based on the science of social connection that help you take action. 2. Reflections: Short in-app exercises help students process social experiences, track their mood, reduce self-criticism, and build resilience so you can keep progressing toward your social goals. 3. Testimonials: Real student perspectives on social connection to help you learn from others and understand the ups and downs along the way. Connect with a Wellness Center counselor for a deeper dive into reaching your social goals. Call 307-268-2267 when I went to Coldstone Creamery with my friends last week. We took our ice cream to North Mike Sedar Park just by campus, and as I took another bite of my delicious sweet cream like it with rainbow sprinkles, I noticed something in the distance -- just past the Mike Sedar Aqua Park were rows of dumpsters in the parking lot. These bins looked cleaner than normal ones, and as my friends and I took a closer look, it became clear that this was a drop-off point for recyclables. I was furious. A place to recycle was THIS close? I could have been a much less wasteful college student if I had just known this opportunity was here. Maybe I didn’t get the memo, but this place is a valuable resource for students who want to recycle. Meanwhile, many other CC residents just aren’t aware of this option. I immediately went back to my dorm and pulled together all my loose water bottles. Finally, I’m not drowning in plastic anymore. Now, as I begin April at CC, I have finally properly recycled my trash for the first time since I arrived in Casper. All’s well that ends well, right? I am happy that I have a resource for recycling so close to campus now, but the bar wasn’t that high to begin with. As a school, we need to work to provide more recycling accommodations to students at the Residence Hall, starting with a place in or outside of the building for plastics, aluminum cans, and more. Today’s students are a generation with the privilege to be environmentally conscious. Places to recycle should be the standard in not just Casper, but the world beyond. Join our staff this fall! 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 �April 1, 2022 Page 3 CHINOOK Wellness................................................. can do is just getting involved as much as they can,” Rudell said. “When I isolate myself, I don’t work on stuff like school. I’m just not productive in any way possible.” According to Rudell, isolation is the worst thing for a student. Rudell avoids this by spending time with her friends and staying involved in extracurriculars. However, according to Green, poor weather can make socializing difficult. With a lack of social health, mental and physical health can also suffer. Green emphasized the value of maintaining health in all areas. “It’s important for students to take care of their mental health year round, not only for their academic success but also for their overall wellness,” Green explained. “If we stop caring for ourselves in even one area, that can cause problems throughout our whole bodies.” The bad weather was a struggle for students on top of other responsibilities, but, according to Rudell, now could be a time to regain that mental wellness as the weather improves. John Watts Chinook Writer the donor’s family. Claney mentioned how the lectures provided by biology instructor Brandi Atnip helped prepare her for what she was getting into when studying cadavers. The secondClaney also said it’s helpful is knowing that both professors Atnip and Johnson offer free council after seeing the cadaver. With many different discoveries to be made, Claney constantly surprises herself with what comes out of her mouth. One day after class Claney told her husband about her experience in the cadaver class. by saying, “She (the cadaver) had the most beautiful adipose in her thigh,.” Claney said. A translucent golden yellow fat caught Claney’s eye, and she could not help thinking that it the color wasis one the most beautiful colors she had ever seen. Claney made a couple of other discoveries in the lab that she believes would not have the same learning affect in lecture. The first would be dissecting a heart with calcified blood, which gave a new perspective to the organ, and the second is discovering that synovial fluid continues to be produced behind the knee cap after death. CC student Jacob Parsons who is studying to be a paramedic spoke to what he finds the most helpful in studying a cadaver. “Getting to know structures and how they can be different sizes in people (is helpful,”, said Parsons. He added that he another interesting facet is, “getting to feel if something is a nerve, artery, or vein.” Johnson said he found his fair share of irregularities in human anatomy since working on cadavers since 1999, and he is continuously interested in chasing pathologies alongside his students. Johnson explained that on the first day with cadavers, the class checks for scaring that could lead to a pathology discovery and the bonuses they might find including joint replacements, broken bones, tumors, and strokes in the brain. Many different tools are used to uncover structures such as , scalpels to get through the three levels of skins, scissors that are inserted and spread as not to cut any important structures, a surgical saw provided by the BOCES program, and even the oblong side of a pharmaceutical spoon. In order to keep the privileges of cadaver study, CC follows very strict rules on who is permitted to see the cadaver, and the body is kept behind a double locked door. The process of collecting, presenting, and disposing of the “It snowed so much!” Rudell said. “I know when it snowed, it was just like, ‘ugh, snow. I don’t wanna go to class.’ But now people wanna be outside more.” Spring is here once again. Green said springtime can be a great help in maintaining wellness when she acknowledged the effect that weather can have on students. continued from page 1 “Some students experience a boost in their mood due to the time change, warmer weather and sunlight,” Green explained. “For students who have struggled with a seasonal drop in their mood, that starts to shift, and they see an improvement.” As students and faculty alike look forward to the sunny skies ahead, Green encour- ages students to access free college resources, including the Wellness Center, Student Health Services, and the Student Success Center all located on campus. “It can be intimidating to ask for help,” Green said. “But if you’re struggling with anything related to your physical or mental health, we’re here for you in the Wellness Center.” Learning anatomical features with cadavers Casper College uses cadavers in a human anatomy class to gives degree seeking students a hands on experience into discovering the biological features of an anatomical donor. The study of cadavers is done mostly by medical students and is a mandatory class for occupational therapists. CC anatomy and physiology Professor Scott Johnson spoke to the study of cadavers. “Studying cadavers adds to the overall college experience,” said Johnson, adding that it “rounds out the students education.” Johnson’s goal for the indepth studying he and the students do is to, as he said, “turn out productive members in society.” Johnson explained the purpose of the class. On the first day of dissection Johnson said he aims to, “expose the students to and introduce them to someone who is not alive.” Non-traditional student Brenda Claney, who is working towards her pre-nursing degree, found the study of cadavers intimidating at first. Despite the intimidation, she said that she felt empathy for the cadaver and gratitude towards Tossing and Turning John Watts/Chinook From left to right: Casper College students Brenda Mclaney, Jacob Parson, Macy Sale, and MacKenzy Colemen-Stenko pose for a photo while studying anatomy. corpse is done in, as Johnson says, “a professional and sacred manner.” In a recent interview Johnson talked about the process of handling a cadaver. From stage one of taking a road trip to the University of North Dakota for the collection of the donor to the final disposition and cremation of the corpse. At every stage Johnson made sure respect was kept. As long as students stay eager to learn and become the productive members in society that Johnson talks about, cadavers will lead surgeons to be able to perform surgeries, occupational therapists to better understand muscle groups, and help EMT’s, like Parson, to properly identify structures. WRITING CENTER Abigail Landwehr/Chinook College students are turning to melatonin supplements to help them sleep through the night. Abigail Landwehr Chinook Writer Sometimes the age-old trick of counting sheep just doesn’t cut it. It’s a common joke that college students are often running on a lack of sleep, walking around with bags under their eyes bigger than the backpacks they lug around. And it’s a joke with some truth. According to a study done by Harvard in 2021, 70 to 90% of college students get less than eight hours of sleep a night. In the absence of being able to catch some z’s on their own, students are turning to alternatives. Among the substitutes, melatonin supplements have started to gain popularity. Trevor Tigert, a general studies student at Casper College started using melatonin supplements his junior year of high school. He, like many other students, began using the drug after having trouble falling asleep at night. “My whole family are kind of night owls,” Tigert said. “I use [melatonin] once a night. I can't really fall asleep without it… I think it's a placebo effect, honestly.” According to the National Sleep Foundation in 2022, melatonin itself is a natural hormone that is produced in the body when prompted by darkness. Melatonin is meant to help regulate sleep patterns and cycles during the day or the night. The hormone can be replicated synthetically in labs and is supplemented in four forms: pills, capsules, chewables or liquid. While reported as fairly effective in catching some shut eye, synthetic melatonin’s use also comes with some side effects. According to a study done by the National Sleep Foundation in 2022, some of the effects include daytime drowsiness, headaches, and dizziness. Tigert said he’s noticed some of these occur while using melatonin as well. “I do notice side effects when I do use it, like I’m a lot more groggy when I wake up, and I can sleep for longer,” Tigert said. “I don't think melatonin is FDA approved, so it'll say that you're getting like five milligrams of it, but you could be getting like hundreds. I mean you don't really know.” Tiger is correct. As of 2022, Melatonin isn’t FDA approved. Instead, the National Sleep Foundation reports that it’s regulated as a dietary supplement in the U.S., meaning melatonin has less restrictions than over-the-counter drugs. All melatonin packaging lists the safe dosage amounts on the bottles, but like Tigert said, users have to trust the company’s dosage is truthful. There are other alternatives for sleep deprived college students though. Under the tags ‘wellness’ and ‘sleep’ on the CC’s Screening for Mental Health resource page, an article lists six alternative steps for students to get a better night’s sleep. “Throughout your life, sleep plays an important role in your overall wellness,” the article tagline reads. Developing a consistent sleeping pattern at certain hours and creating a pre-sleep routine are all reported within the article to allow for better sleep. Additionally, creating a supportive sleeping environment that is quiet, dark, cool and free of screens can also give the ability to drift off faster. The article also recommends to avoid eating, drinking, or exercising close to when going to bed, and to avoid alcohol and caffeine. “I feel like there's better ways [to fall asleep],” Tigert said. “But I'm glad I [use melatonin], Otherwise I wouldn't be able to sleep very well.” 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! Visit us in Strausner Hall, room 215 or visit the Writing Center Moodle site for additional resources and appointment scheduling! �Page 4 April 1, 2022 CHINOOK RAs......................................................... attention to any emergencies reported to the duty phone, On the topic of COVID-19, not many students at CC know about the resident assistants' extensive role when it comes to cases within the dorms. According to Bailey, resident assistants have done laundry, delivered food, made meals, and communicated with instructors, along with a plethora of other things to make sure students sick with COVID-19 are as happy and healthy as possible. Resident assistants also decorate the halls, promote positive messages through the bulletin boards in their wing, and help console and counsel occupants on many different issues. Another responsibility includes student programming. Resident assistants see that four programs come to fruition per semester, which can be either passive or active programs. Active programming consists of primarily in-person activities like video game nights, DIY demonstrations, craft conclaves, and Bob Ross painting sessions. Passive programming may not be face-to-face, but it still reaches out and impacts residents through things like uplifting notes in mailboxes and attaching residents’ favorite candy to their doors. According to Wallace, residents should be excited about continued from page 1 future programming as an evening of swing dancing in the NPR room is currently in the works. The resident assistant experience isn’t just all work and no fun, as there are many perks that come along with all those responsibilities. Wallace said one of the biggest positives is the sense of community. "I’ve gotten to know a lot of people through the RA role, and I feel like I have a better support system here at Casper," Wallace remarked. Wallace said other benefits include financial compensation in the form of a scholarship, a single room, and getting to know the other resident assistants through movie and game nights. Bailey corroborates the number of benefits saying, "Problemsolving skills, communication, time management, program development, all of these are things they can use especially in the future." Exploring student life Off-campus students enjoy on-campus amenities Rachelle Trujillo Chinook Writer Photo Courtesy of Chris Stier Julie Palomo Rides Student Life’s “Smoothie Bike” during homecoming week 2022. The bike was another effort of Student Life to get off-campus students more involved on campus and allow them to come in at their leisure. Casper College Student Life is currently working to engage more off-campus students in on-campus activities and events. Director of Student Life Corey Peacock described oncampus students as a “captive audience.” It’s easy, Peacock explained, to post flyers on doors and advertise for events in the residence hall. Additionally, living on campus means students are more likely to have a circle of friends who also live on campus to know about and plan on attending upcoming events. Peacock acknowledged that in contrast, communication with off-campus students proves more difficult. “It can be hard for us to get those who don’t live on campus to come to events, which I think every community college struggles with,” Peacock said. “It’s because a lot of our students who don’t live on campus work, and they’re trying to fit classes into an already busy schedule.” Student Life Activities Coordinator Chris Stier echoed a similar sentiment. Stier said many off-campus students have friends from Casper who may not go to CC, which poses another obstacle. “It is a little difficult because students do have an established friend group,” Stier said, referring mainly to students who are Casper natives. Still, Peacock added that off-campus students do want to be involved and meet other students. Many students are excited to have a college experience and want new friends and opportunities. Student Life is working to extend opportunities for off-campus students by implementing new ideas. “We have tried this year to do more fun, stop-by-events at the college,” Peacock said. “That’s just a way for students to meet some new people and engage a little bit and feel more connected with the college.” The “smoothie bike” is one example of Student Life’s latest ways of doing so. Students can ride this bike to provide the power to make their own smoothie. Other stop-by events include movie tickets and Hogadon passes, which allow students to do activities on their own time and with their own friends. Stier called this the “convenience factor.” “Students are busy after school or working. If you’re in relationships, trying to fit all that in is just not ideal,” he said. “That’s kind of one reason we implemented the new ski vouchers this semester.” Stier and Peacock both acknowledged the great success of ski vouchers and movie tickets. Community events and activities tend to draw students because it allows them to go out into the city of Casper, get to know the town and share a connection with the place they live. “Our top priority would be getting them to come to an event that's held on campus so they can meet other students,” Peacock said. “But the reason we put our financial support towards stuff going on in the community is because we also want our students to be good community members.” While off-campus and non-time restrictive activities provide convenience, CC still hosts many on-campus events. Casino Night will return to CC on April 22. Roulette, black jack, poker, among all the most notable games will be available, along with food and an abundance of prizes. Students can also look forward to the campus-wide Easter egg hunt, in which families and off-campus friends can share in the fun. Students that live offcampus can learn about events and activities by checking their CC email and by watching the TV’s around CC. The "Incredible Dr. Pol" visits Casper College Kaley Pieper Chinook Writer Dr. Jan Pol, a veterinarian and Nat Geo Wild TV star, and his wife Diane came to Casper College through the Doornbos Ag Lecture Series to talk about his life and career. “The Incredible Dr. Pol” continues to air after 20 seasons and is available for streaming on Disney+. Based in rural Michigan, Pol and Diane run their own veterinary clinic where they treat animals of all shapes and sizes. From iguanas to draft horses, Pol never turns an animal away and is one of the best at what he does according to past clients. “For me, it’s a calling… helping animals and helping people. My favorite animal is a healthy animal! I’m not God though, and I can’t save every one. But I try, I try my hardest,” explained Pol. On Feb. 28, Dr. Pol took time out of his busy schedule to visit Casper through the Doornbos Ag Lecture Series. Pol isn’t the only famous ag leader to visit CC through the series. According to the CC Foundation and Alumni Association, Colonel Philip Doornbos came to Casper when the army assigned him to the Casper Army Air Base in 1944 to recover from wounds sustained during World War II. After meeting then Casper College President Tim Aley, he accepted a job at Casper College first serving as the business manager and then as the executive director of the college’s foundation. In 2002, he endowed the Doornbos Lecture Series, realizing an agricultural-based lecture series would benefit programs on campus and across the community. The lectures focus on the agricultural industry in an effort to keep students and community members abreast of the most current information in the field. The series has featured many notable speakers including Temple Grandin and Lowell Catlett. This year’s series, held in the Swede Erickson Thunderbird Gym, drew in over 2,000 attendees from across Wyoming. One family even made the trek from Iowa to see “The Incredible Dr. Pol” speak. When asked what he thought about the city of Casper, Pol said, “I’m glad I’m bald so the wind can’t blow my hair no more!” With his 50 years of experience in veterinary medicine, Pol shared some of his most exciting stories and his path to becoming a Michigan veterinarian. Pol said he immigrated to the United States from the Netherlands. After meeting his wife Diane, he founded their vet clinic and adopted their son Charles. After going to school for filmmaking, Charles had the idea to make a TV series based around his dad. The Nat Geo Wild TV series follows him on his 14-hour workdays, showing urban America the adventures of being a rural veterinarian. When Pol’s son Charles first started production of the series, Pol said many farmers were fearful of the cameras. Pol assured them, “This is not PETA, and we are not trying to make you look bad.” Kadyn Braaten, an ag communication and ag business Major at CC from Townsend Mont. attended the event. “I thought he was a very genuine and smart man who thinks outside the box in order to take care of all animals he encounters,” said Braaten. “He is willing to branch out into the unknown in order to find a solution to every problem that he encounters.” Pol spoke of one of his more trailblazing solutions with an example of a young colt that broke its leg. Pol explained that usually when a horse breaks a leg, the animal must be euthanized because the leg is almost impossible to heal. However, using a wicker basket and other supplies, Pol crafted a custom contraption to hold the young horse’s leg in place while it healed. The colt healed completely and can now run and play like any other horse. Jessy Barger, another ag business major from Cascade, Mont. also enjoyed Pol’s witty Photo Courtesy of Heath Hornecker humor. Pictured from left to right, Kadyn Braaten, Dr. Jan Pol, Kaley Pieper, and Diane Pol. The “He was very funny and fun Incredible Dr. Pol and his wife Diane meet Ag students Kadyn Braaten and Kaley Pieper who to listen to. I can tell he’s quite attended the morning and evening events to listen to Dr. Pol’s speech. the character. His wife Diane also seems very nice. I really enjoyed hearing his advice on marriage and life in general,” said Barger. Barger referred to advice Pol shared in his talk at CC. Pol said, “I’ve been married for 50 years. What’s the secret? Two words; yes dear! But no really, love is important, but depending on each other is more important. That’s what we found out.” The Doornbos Ag Lecture Series has been educating people on the importance of agriculture for many years, and Pol is one of the most famous and exciting speakers hosted in the series. His practical, down-to-earth approach to life and veterinary medicine is what keeps his business thriving, and inspires so many Kaley Pieper/Chinook viewers to watch his show, Swede Erickson Thunderbird Gym was packed on February 28th, with many students, “The Incredible Dr. Pol.” faculty, and community members attending the Doornbos Lecture series to watch Dr. Pol. www.caspercollege.edu/chinook �April 1, 2022 Page 5 CHINOOK College from a different point of view Isabella Coronado Chinook Writer Everyone has a different experience in college whether attending school with a sibling or not. Do you ever wonder what it's like for twins on campus? Students at Casper College shared different opinions on what it is like being a multiple, especially when headed off to college. Leaving a sibling in general can be tough, but imagine leaving a sibling like a twin or even continuing education with them on the same campus. Many factors play into such decisions. Colby Jones is a current student at CC studying accounting and business administration. He plans to further his education in business administration at the University of Wyoming by earning his bachelor's and master’s degrees. His experience at CC is different than most, as he is currently attending CC with his twin brother, Carson. Carson is studying criminal justice and plans to earn his associates degree at CC before transferring to the University of Wyoming for his bachelor's degree. When asked what made them want to attend college together, the Jones brothers said they never planned on going to the same college. They decided they would make their decisions independently before sharing their final choice for college with one another. They said they both happened to choose CC. As of right now, both live in the dorms together and have the same friend group on campus, which makes going to school with each other a lot more positive according to Carson. Colby stated that he and his brother are very similar, but the only thing that he thinks that could be different between the two of them is that they both study different subjects in school. Davion McAdam is another current CC student who happens to be a twin as well. His story is a little different from the Jones' because his twin sister, Tyronica is not attending CC. McAdam is currently studying general studies and plans on graduating this year. McAdam said, “Neither one of us had big aspirations to go to college, and then one of the big reasons why I went to college was to play college basketball, and she wanted to pursue other things like being an influencer.” Tyronica is currently in New York pursuing modeling while also being an influencer on different forms of social media. As McAdam attended CC, he started getting an interest in business and also the more detailed parts of economics like micro and macro. He talked about how going to college without his allows him to create a name for himself and helps him avoid distractions with family members. He said having his sibling at school could also work in his favor at times. “College could be frustrating from time to time, so it would be Photo Courtsey of Jones family Pictured here from left to right is Colby Jones, Lain Mitchelson, and Carson Jones.Colby and Carson attended their friend's basketball game. nice to have a silly (sibling) go to school so you have somebody to count on and to lean on when you’re struggling. That would be the nice part of going to school with a sibling,” said McAdam. He shared how different he is from his sister in saying that she is more outgoing and more of a people person while he is more introverted. He enjoys going to college without his twin because he said he’s become more independent and likes having his own space. Based on McAdam’s own experience at college without his sister, he believes that not going to school with her helped him become his own person and build a foundation for what he wants to do in life. McAdam said, “I honestly think it depends on the type of twins and if they really look to rely on each other for life decisions, but I would suggest not going to school with your twin because you end up figuring out what you do or don't like without another person influencing your decisions.” The Jones twins voiced the opposite opinion. When asked if twins should consider going to college together Colby said, “Yes, if y’all can even stand each other. You grew up with each other anyways, and it makes living with someone easy. “ Carson echoed his brother. “It would have to depend on the twins, but if they are similar like my brother and I, then yes you won’t regret that decision. If you don’t have a lot of the same desires and goals, then I could understand where it doesn’t look like sunshine and rainbows,” Carson said. Despite what the Jones’ and McAdam think, ultimately not everyone is going to do the same thing in life. Based on all three viewpoints, there are many different aspects to take into account when deciding whether or not all twins should attend the same college or go their separate ways. Photo Courtsey of Davion McAdam Shown to the left is Davion McAdam and his twin sister Tyronica at one of his high school basketball games Taking online or hybrid courses? Students: We make sure you are able to access online learning resources needed to learn in your classes. We will also help you learn to utilize the digital tools available to you for all your classwork. Examples of items we can help with: 1. MyCCMoodle — including how to submit assignments, participate in forums, etc. 2. ZOOM – help you learn to access and use Zoom for your remote course meetings and collaborations 3. Google Suite — Google Docs, Drive, GMail, etc. 4. Accessing Office 365 .- such as MS Word and PowerPoint 5. Online tutoring — How and where to get extra help as you need it, using NetTutor. Plus a lot more! Contact us. Don’t wait! Get your Questions answered now. Teresa Pat Mike Tyler For help or more information stop by Liesinger Hall, room 132 or contact us at 307-268-3882, dlc@caspercollege.edu, and av@caspercollege.edu. Dave Camille �Page 6 April 1, 2022 CHINOOK Price increase for off-campus housing Julie Seidel Chinook Writer Landlords for the Preserve at Greenway Park, an off campus facility, will increase property rent in April, leaving Casper College students until the end of March to decide if they will continue residency. The 368-unit buildings house students as well as community members. Approximately 89 Casper College students take residency, according to the Preserve. Nathasha Green, the resident manager and apartment manager at the Preserve informed residents of the decision on Feb 25. Rachel Retherford, Kait Wassum, and Avril Sims are among the dozens of local college students who will need to make a decision on housing before April. Retherford said she and her friends make about enough to cover the rent as it is. Although this may be true, they said they are still debating whether to find someplace new. Had the facility approached them sooner, they would have saved money for the increase in pricing or relocation costs, Wassum said. “We will be cutting our living expenses to the bone,” added Retherford. Though the Preserve maintained a steady rate for years,Green said she hopes the increase won’t change much of anything. For new residents, the maximum payment inflation rate is $300. For current residents, the increase will total $150 per month. “Casper is getting busy and more populated,” said Kevin Kapeles, resident coordinator. “It is all about supply and demand. Although this may be true, in the end it will be a good thing for all residents.” The Preserve admits there is a clear increase in market rate for Casper, Wyo, as a whole. Casper is expanding in population and units are filling up so fast that their waitlist is the longest it has ever been, said Kapeles. The Preserve has a total of nine different types of units ranging in size. Their Julie Seidel/Chinook Pictured above is the kitchen area in one of the three bedroom, two bathroom apartments at the Preserve at Greenway Park. one bedroom, one bathroom units called the Meadowlark, Eagle and Wren increased by $45. The two bedroom, two bathroom units called the Goldeneye, Herron, and Hummingbird all increased by $175. The three bedroom, two bathroom unit called the Falcon increased by $75. Retherford currently lives in a two bedroom apartment to herself. According to her, her old roommate moved out due to a disagreement. Retherford got help from her parents to keep the apartment, but with the new prices, she is not quite sure what her next move will be. Due to her recent surgery, she is unable to move by herself and feels obligated to stay. Wassum and Sims started their lease in May of 2021 and despite the increase, the two made the decision to continue their lease for another year. Sims, a newly added roommate, said she did not expect the rental increase. “For now we will keep doing what we are doing,” stated Wassum. “The apartments are the nicest in town, and the staff is too great to give up.” Incoming residents, Gabriel Scheuerman and Dawson Rogers, considered the Preserve for housing next fall semester. Due to the price increase, the two said they might consider other apartments. Rogers stated that they cur- rently live on-campus at CC and would like to get their own place. The two are freshmen on campus and one year at the dorms was enough for them, said Scheuerman. “Living on campus has its perks, but off-campus would be a delight,” said Scheuerman. In addition to the renters increase, the Preserve announced a new one bedroom, one bathroom unit called the Bobwhite. Starting at $1,025 a month, Bobwhite is a 750 square foot floor plan that is scheduled to commence building at the end of April. “In the end, we hope this new floor plan will push our current residents to upgrade and vacate the Meadowlark units,” said Green. Julie Seidel/Chinook Shown here is living room of the two bedroom, two bathroom unit at the Preserve at Greenway Park. Fitness center woes Student Senate and administration work towards solution Violet Wright Chinook Writer Casper College’s Student Senate and President Dr. Darren Divine are working together to improve accessibility to campus fitness facilities for students and faculty. Currently, the school operates a fitness center that is open to students but with a caveat -- students must be enrolled in the fitness class and pay a $30 fee. However, anyone who walked into the facility would describe it as lackluster. The space includes limited equipment in a small space that is easily overcrowded, creating a point of frustration for many students and faculty members. Jordan Stauffer, a computer science major at CC explained, “The gym isn’t that big. They Violet Wright/Chinook had nice equipment, but it Logan MacKearney studies in the courtyard outside of Doornbros Lounge during a rare break would have to be pretty cheap from Sudent Senate roles. to pay for it.” Stauffer, and many other students, have taken notice of CC’s lack of a proper fitness center. In fact, both the Faculty Senate and Student Senate are currently discussing the issue. Last year, now Student Senate President Logan MacKearney, brought the issue to the Student Senate, which resulted in the Student Senate writing a resolution to the school. “Right now, the current fitness center is too small and ill equipped to properly handle the amount of students, athletes, and faculty that want to take advantage of it. We requested them to find an alternate option to make it more accommodating,” said MacKearney. Eventually, the actions of the Student Senate led to a meeting between MacKearney and Divine to discuss the issue. While the school wants to make improvements, there is no way to expand the fitness center, explained MacKearney. Such improvements would require building a new facility, the budget to do so, and planning and construction to occur. Stauffer explained if the oncampus fitness center were less costly and more accessible he would be more active. “It's more convenient. I don't have to drive across town. It would also be a bit more private as well because it’s not open to the public,” said Stauffer. While CC is not proposing construction plans just yet, the college hears student and faculty calls to improve access to a better fitness facility. According to MacKearny, Casper College is working with the YMCA of Casper to offer discounted rates for students. In the meantime, there is hope that future CC students will see the fruit of the Student Senate’s labors. �April 1, 2022 Page 7 CHINOOK 2021-2022 basketball season wrap-up Photo Courtsey of Sofie Pinegar The Lady T-Birds won 71-57 against Eastern Wyoming College during the Region IX Tournament at a home game on March 5. Celina Arnlund is pictured to the left cutting down a section of the net. The win qualified the team for the NJCAA Championship where they lost 70-73 to Hutchinson Kansas Community College during the first round. The men's team lost 72-78 to Trinidad State Junior College when they were in La Junta, Colorado for the quarterfinals of the Region IX Tournament. PJ Ngambi is shown above driving past his opponent at the team's last home game. The difficulties of a student-athlete Elena Tzelou Chinook Writer The life of an athlete studying abroad, as Mariona Cos explained, is not always as nice as it looks, especially when dealing with mental health issues. Without mental health support when it is needed, a student-athlete may lead themselves to give up. Over 30% of student-athletes admit to suffering from some kind of depression or anxiety, and only 10% ask for help. One student-athlete from Barcelona, Spain experienced exactly that in her first year at Casper College. Her freshman year proved very demanding and difficult with many obstacles and a battle for survival. Cos is just 18-years-old. Cos began sports at an early age, always having great aspirations for the future and a goal that came closer and closer as it grew. The main goal was the life experience in America and acceptance into a very good college such as CC that helped her to develop her first professional steps in basketball in conjunction with her studies. Cos said she always wanted to take such a major step and come somewhere where she’d need to work hard and show discipline to cope; yet, there has never been a day in her life when she wanted to give up or alter her mind about what she truly wanted to achieve. Of course, the difficulties did not take long to come, turning her into a fighter and a decisive athlete. The difficulties started at the age of 17 when she admitted that there were many people who either did not believe in her or tried in many ways to reduce her psychology. However, as she stated, no matter how much she hurt and no matter how many questions bloomed inside her, she never let anyone affect her or distort her thoughts about what the path she chose to follow. Cos shared the reason why her story stands out from any other student-athletes -- four months before her dream became a reality and she came to America, she faced a tremendously serious surgery that brought her a lot of pain and discomfort until she managed to get through every difficulty the injury brought her. "They told me that I wouldn't be able to play basketball again," said Cos. Cos said those were the first words she heard when she came out of surgery and more specifically when she was told that the serious shoulder injury from basketball was the reason she would be kept from what she loves so much. “It's unbelievable that what you love so many times can destroy you," Cos said. She shouted it with tears in her eyes, enraged by all that had transpired up to the day of the flight. She stated that she never gave up. Cos tried and proved day-by-day that her dream to travel to America would come true, but at the same time she was so scared that her mental health changed dramatically. She said she was even more afraid to report her injury to the new coaches who were waiting for her in the new continent. However, all of these things she described made her stronger, and she said it was the moment she grew up into the a mature woman she is now who faces all the difficulties on her own, preparing her for life in America if she really managed to make it happen. Cos said that she finally succeeded and felt more proud than ever, but she was not through with her training. Dayby-day the workouts were more and more demanding and difficult, making her go through the worst she had experienced in her life. Moreover, even if she never said anything to anyone, she said that she is coming to face pain even today, a year after her surgery, something that saddens and troubles her. "Even the pain could not stop my American dream," Cos said. Cos said her dreams and aspirations make her feel a little better now that she has reached the end of her first difficult year in the CC. However, she did not forget to add that sport, even if it troubled her and tested her through difficult phases of her life, never disappointed her and always made her happy. She said, "Being a studentathlete is incredibly difficult and demanding at all stages.'' Cos said it is necessary to understand all the external factors and people involved. Cos also shared that she regrets that she never shared her pain and difficulties with anyone, which kept her away from friends and pleasant moments. "Asking for help is not a shame," Cos said. She said with great confidence and joy that sharing your problems should be the first way to deal with them, because in order to get through very difficult times, one must be able to think clearly. Cos’ opinion is shared by her friend Julia PalomoVicente, her teammate from Spain who also followed her dream to the U.S and CC. Palomo-Vicente said, “I could never imagine myself being productive without a stable mental health.” Join us as we build PB & J sandwiches to help Stop Hunger in Casper! Thursday April 28th (Pay It Forward Day) Tobin Dining Hall 2:30pm to 4:00pm Volunteer via email to: Angela.alexander@sodexo.com In Tobin at Lunch Tuesday April 19th! $4 Bucks extra � 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 2022-04 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. 2022-04 Description An account of the resource This is a copy of the online Chinook Newspaper from April 2022. 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_2022-04 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/4ca2b5863fd419d5adc32f8b8f4dddf2.pdf 6281a064a611cde4ab91b1236d82e545 PDF Text Text May 1, 2022 Casper College’s Student Voice Since 1945 On Capitol Hill: Student Senate visits D.C. Abigail Landwehr Chinook Writer Photo Courtsey of Kristina Pham Four Casper College representatives had the opportunity to meet United States Senator John Barrasso during their trip to Washington D.C. as a part of the ASACC conference. From left, Kristina Pham, Logan MacKearney, Senator Barrasso, Kayla Jones, and Corey Peacock. After experiencing the cancelation of an October conference, members of Casper College’s Student Senate received an invitation to attend a second chance at the nation’s capital. Four representatives from CC took the opportunity to attend the 2022 National Student Advocacy Conference for the American Student Association of Community Colleges, or to shorten the title, the ASACC conference in Washington, D.C. from March 19-22. Student Senate President Logan MacKearney, Vice President Kayla Jones, and advisors Psychology Instructor Kristina Pham and Director of Student Life Corey Peacock represented CC. According to the ASACC’s website, the organization often follows three themes throughout the conference: leadership, citizenship and advocacy. Students attended speaker’s presentations covering resiliency, communicating with representatives, and how to be more active in the community. The conference also included discussions on bills including America’s College Promise Act of 2021, FAFSA Simplification Act of 2019, and the American Dream and Promise Act of 2021. However, meeting and interacting with other students from around the country proved to be the biggest takeaway for Jones during the conference. “Getting to see all these different people trying to better their community college experience was really inspiring to me,” Jones said. “Something I really picked up from this conference and it wasn't exactly a topic that was actually talked about by the speakers, but it was being there and seeing so much diversity.” Since the pandemic, conferences cap the amount of attendees at a certain capacity. Because of this, Pham estimated around 150 advisors and students attended. She said a majority of the schools came from California. The Casper College group attended as the only representatives from Wyoming, a state Pham said did not seem well-known among those at the conference. “Like several times there were people who were like, ‘where is Wyoming?’” Pham said. “But it's always a good opportunity. Especially that students can go out with students from other parts of the country and hear how they're doing things.” Alongside the conference, the group also got the opportunity to tour the United States Capitol, led by a staff member of Wyoming’s United States Representative Liz Cheney. Pham said that while the congresswoman was unable to meet with them, the group met United States Senator John Barrasso, a former member of the — See Student Senate Page 3 STEM learning center looks after students at CC Jacob Klaudt Chinook Contributor The STEM Learning Center at Casper College works to help students improve their academic performance whenever needed. According to a 2020 survey conducted by Hobsons and Hanover Research, 52 percent of college students find it difficult to complete the coursework assigned in STEM-related fields. CC students are no different. Secondary-school curriculum presents problems, especially when high school failed to prepare students. To help combat this problem, CC provides a plethora of academic resources, which include the STEM Learning Center. The STEM Learning Center, located in room 104 of the Wold Physical Science Center on campus, is open Monday-Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. One can expect to receive totally free tutoring from faculty members and access to the most relevant texts and writings within STEM. The CC website says, "Staffed by knowledgeable student works and faculty, the STEM Learning Center affords students the opportunity to receive help in mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science, and engineering." The center offers expertise for many additional majors and disciplines as well, including agriculture, astronomy, and many others. More specifically, the STEM Center can support students with balancing equations in chemistry, learning Newton’s laws of motion, and even simply gaining confidence in an unfamiliar subject. Such versatility allows for the majority of students to take advantage of the vast amount of knowledge and services provided. Dr. Jerry Hawkes, instructor and dean of the school of sciences said, "What we’re looking to do is provide any academic support we can to students within the STEM field. If we teach it, there is a way to get help." With this said, the STEM Learning Center assists a diverse population of students, not only those who struggle with their academics. According to Hawkes, "Students who are very strong in a subject can come in here and engage with other students that have similar interests and can challenge and push each other forward." Additionally, the STEM center frequently assists students who need a boost in just one particular class, those who just need a quiet place to study, and even non-traditional pupils who need assistance adjusting back to a classroom setting. "Our goal is to help anyone and everyone who comes through here," Hawkes said. Most of the time, however, students seek out the STEM center for a helping hand in math according to Hawkes. In turn, the center offers further aid to make sure students succeed to the best of their abilities. Hawkes said, "Math is a scary thing for many people, and there are developmental classes that give extra support and encourage students who are in a challenging spot." Hawkes continues, saying that in today's world, a stigma surrounding seeking additional help with coursework plagues college campuses around the country. Furthermore, many people don’t want others to think of them as not smart enough, so they may hesitate to use the STEM Centers' services. "We let those people find it on their own because they’ll get to a point where they are struggling and eventually take advantage of the services we provide. It’s not a judgmental deal, and it does not mean that you’re not a bright person." The best way to get in touch with the STEM Learning Center includes simply walking in and sitting down during office hours. Contagious students with COVID or people who need help late at night also have the option to Zoom into an appointment with a student staff member. Kadyn Braaten, CC Freshman said, “The STEM Center here is invaluable. Sometimes, I just sit in there and do my homework, and the staff answers every question I have. I am very appreciative.” At the end of the day, the STEM Learning Center at CC makes it a point to see that students succeed academically and inevitably out in the real world. Photo Courtsey of Jacob Klaudt Pictured to the left shows the entrance of the STEM learning center, located in room 104 of the World Physical Science center at CC. Byrd retires after 31 years Max Tasche Chinook Writer She's a boss. She's a coworker. She's a friend. Casper College’s Associate Vice President of Student Services Linda Tooey shared such sentiments through misty eyes when speaking about Kim Byrd, retiring Vice President of Student Services at CC. And this is just the beginning. Byrd is also a safe haven. Before her, Casper College did not have Title IX protocols in place. A lack of Title IX made it challenging if not impossible for students and staff to share about sexual harassment or abuse, and worse, students lacked protection for facing such horrors. “Helping the underdog, the person that needs the most help,” said Byrd. She also spearheaded a single-parent fund for students juggling classes, childcare, and familial responsibilities. She developed GED programs, aided homeless students in navigating college life, and helped students through aca- demic probation. Byrd’s husband bud described his wife’s infections personality both professionally and personally. "Professional, caring, (and) committed," Bud said of his wife’s professional demeanor. On a personal level, he added that his wife is "Small, petite, (and) beautiful. She's a fighter." Bud Byrd is an active outdoorsman with hobbies that include biking and fixing up bicycles, but he said his pastimes are nothing compared to those of his wife who is an active walker, tennis, and golf player. And Bud said her interests don't stop at home. She is an avid supporter of CC athletics and attends all of the games, an act of support Bud said is unlikely to change when she retires at the end of this academic school year. Tooey wants to avoid the subject of Byrd's retirement altogether. "I might even cry just thinking about it (Byrd retiring)," said Tooey. Tooey’s reaction to Byrd’s retirement matched that of all others who spoke about Byrd’s presence at CC. Her positive influence on their lives is inarguable. Another word to describe Byrd may come as a surprise to those who are familiar with her humanitarian work and student advocacy at the college: Prankster. “You have to laugh at work,” said Byrd. Byrd shared a story of turning Tooey’s computer screen upside down so she couldn’t read any documents pulled up on the screen. “And little did I know… she had somebody that was going to come up to her office, and she needed to show them something on her computer, but it was upside down,” Byrd said with a laugh. From attempting to swap light switches so "off" is "on" to other funny shenanigans, Byrd kept the 3rd floor of the Gateway Building, where her office is located, laughing and light. Her influence did not stop — See Byrd, Page 3 Photo Courtsey of Kim Byrd Kim Byrd, pictured to the left, is retiring from Casper College after 31 years. She is currently the Vice President for Student Services. Byrd said she plans to stay involved with the college while retired. �Page 2 Chinook Stance Divine's Intervention: I hope this month's article finds everyone looking forward to the end of the academic year, and perhaps even ready to participate in commencement (May 13th at 6:30pm). If you are not quite ready to graduate, and still have more classes you need to take, or new skills you want to acquire, be sure to talk to an advisor and discuss potential summer classes, or courses you might Is it fine to be content in the now? John Watts J's Journal Growing up we all probably said these words or something very similar -- “I wish I were a grown up so I could do whatever I want.” To the 95% of readers who are adults reading this article, you are probably laughing and saying, “I wish I could be a kid again, free of any responsibility.” Is that not the human’s response to nearly everything? Mankind lives in a state of unrest -- of wanting to be something different and skipping to the time in their lives when they have it made. The argument I would like to present today is not one where I applaud you for being content with where you are but one of encouraging you to have some unrest. Imagine if a child never developed new interests for growth before operating in the adult world? It is the pursuit of working to be better, trying new things, and meeting new people that keeps us growing. In biology, we learn that bones need to bear weight, and the human body needs to stay active to function well. We are designed to move and change and cultivate to create stronger versions of ourselves that are fit to pursue life. Unlike China dishware that is meant to be kept safe and brought out on special occasions, humans need to live life every day. I am not saying we cannot be happy in our current stage of life, but we should not be content in it forever. The definition of the word content is “a state of satisfaction.” Satisfaction is not the foundation of people with great qualities. Quality people are made out of trials, hardships, and experiences. For example, great advice on perseverance rarely comes from a continued place of satisfaction, and neither do stories of stepping out of your comfort zone to discover new potential. Niccolo Machiavelli once said, “I’m not interested in preserving the status quo; I want to overthrow it.” There is something to be said about being in the moment of something rather than living in it. I suggest be focus on being in the moment. Living in the moment is dangerous because we can stop growing if we have achieved something and decide to make that achievement our idol. Idols have a way of making people live complacent lives. By being in the moment, we can appreciate something and move on with our lives to do the next great thing. When I think of unrest, I think of a rusty bolt that became a part of a structure. That bolt is content doing one job the rest of its life and gets thrown away with the structure. Whereas, a bolt with no rust can be reused many times over helping to build multiple structures in its lifetime. Let us not be comfortable and complacent like that rusty bolt but useful like the reusable bolt. Find happiness in unrest, not content. “ to build an entirely new building rather than trying to retrofit the original structure. Hopefully you have noticed the progress as the steel framework was raised into place, and then the walls being installed. I am happy to report the project is progressing well, and the new building should be ready for occupancy by August 1st, just in time to welcome fall classes. One note of caution, just as soon as the new building is completed, the old building will be torn down to make way for a new parking lot and altered traffic flow pattern. So please be aware of potential detours and road closures as the project begins to wind down late this summer. With that news, I will simply wish you a relaxing yet productive summer! — Darren Divine, Ph.D., Casper College President Campus case of LGBTQ+ hate Let me begin by clarifying that I am probably straight. The hate that I’ve witnessed toward LGBTQ+ members as a straight man is just a fraction of what this community deals with on a daily basis in this state. Last semester, my friend Emma saw a yellow house on E 15th Street. vandalized in multiple places with the F slur. You can still see the spots where the home owners painted over the hateful words. A simple google search of these cases will show dozens of examples of Wyoming’s disappointing history of mistreating LGBTQ+ individuals, and the list is getting longer every day. All of this to say, the issue extends far beyond my lens. I hadn’t planned to write about this until I walked into the forensics room in Liesinger Hall the morning of April 22 where I found my friend, Braxton Sambrano. He told me that someone vandalized the CC posters in the men’s bathroom stalls. But this wasn’t typical bathroom vandalism. In fact the only damage done to the posters? – nearly every mention of the term “LGBTQ” was blacked out with permanent marker. This was targeted. I was disgusted, confused, angry even. “I’m not okay,” was the most my LGBTQ friend could say at the time. Brax reported the incident to CC, obviously. When I followed up with him to see Rachelle Trujillo Rachelle's Reflections of us didn’t want to tag along, so we hung back. After they all left, we did too. But we headed the opposite direction. It was one of the best memories of my life. Over the course of the week, my cousin and I grew close to our two newfound friends, and we’d embarked on many mischievous adventures together in our short time. We were worn out and tired of the “big” attractions with the whole group. We wanted to make the most of our time together, just us. That night, we walked along the river under some dim street lights, which seemed excessively out of place. It was a short path, at the end of which stood a small gate. Here, there was no more light, and darkness covered us. My new friends and I dared my cousin to hop it and see what was on the other side. He did, and bravely made his way into oblivion. Then, a pair of dim yellow lights spawned in front of him that could’ve passed for eyes glowing in the dark. Everyone saw them at the same time. The three of us held our breath as he ran back over and jumped the fence to safety. As the lights came into focus, we realized it was nothing to be afraid of. In fact, we turned, as if in a movie, and saw more “eyes” floating want to sign up for in the fall. Now is the best time to sign up for classes and times before your first choices fill up. Speaking of the fall semester, we will have a new building opening up on campus at the end of the summer! As many of you may already know, the Visual Arts building is at the end of its functional lifecycle, and it was determined to be more cost-effective I am happy to report the project is progressing well, and the new building should be ready for occupancy by August 1, just in time to welcome fall classes. Chasing Fireflies... When I was 17, I went to Italy with a church group. We saw lots of churches -- and don’t get me wrong, churches are great -- but my cousin and I were not having it. We were in Italy, and all we were going to do was visit church after church? Afterall, these mega churches and tourist attractions were supposed to be the highlight of the trip. Isn’t that usually how it works? The group we went with had an odd dynamic. There was me, my cousin, five different chaperones (all from Gillette), twelve kids from Gillette, one from Green River and one from Rock Springs – my roommate. To no one’s surprise, my Casper cousin and I and the two southern Wyomingites were usually left out of the group. So we found each other and created our own group. My favorite night of the whole trip was in a mountainous city, Subiaco. We stayed in a monastery nestled into the side of the mountain that touted itself for having “the best water in Italy.” Rightfully so. A hidden waterfall could be heard all around the premises, and green was the only thing that could be seen for miles. One night, a chaperone took a group of kids out to explore the terrain. The four May 1, 2022 CHINOOK around us. They weren’t eyes at all; they were fireflies. We turned around and walked back like we were in a dream. A forest of trees lined the left side of the path, and it was completely dotted in light. We tried to catch them and made ourselves laugh by releasing them in each other’s faces. In the warm evening air of that June night, I felt more alive than ever before. Of all the amazing things we did, that small moment with my few friends that night was the most memorable part of the entire trip. This is my final Chinook column after four semesters, and if I could leave any tidbits of wisdom behind in this publication it would be to cherish the small moments. They’re what life is made of. Sure, I was in Italy catching fireflies, but there were certainly some bigger, more grandiose sights I saw that trip. It was the people that made that moment. I believe firmly that throughout our lives, we will often find the happiest and best parts of it all will be alongside the ones we love. There’s a lot to be said for the kinds of people you surround yourself with and the kinds of things you do. Choose your people well, and don’t forget to chase the fireflies. if there was any new information, things came up dry. “Not much they can do, apparently,” he said. “All they can do is be more aware and make more posters.” So I thought I’d do what I can to make everyone more aware too. This incident was specific to the men’s bathroom, so we can narrow down the culprit to a male. Knowing this information, I’ve decided to take the opportunity to write a letter to our vandal. Dear Mr. “Can’t Even Be Respectful When Using The Bathroom,” I’m sorry the sight of five letters is so scary for you. But I assure you, their existences are just as valid as any cis gendered straight man such as yourself. I’m sure it’s challenging -- the thought of coexisting with people unlike yourself -- but imagine if someone vandalized everything related to a part of your identity. Truly, if you feel so moved by hatred that you feel it necessary to do something like this, reevaluate your values and the privileges you’ve been given. In layman's terms, be better. By the way, Brax and his husband Kody are moving to Seattle soon! Don’t celebrate their departure yet, though. Their new home will hopefully treat them better than you, with all the love and support they deserve. However, I do have news for Jay M. Roccaforte The Roccaforte Rundown you: The LGBTQ+ Community is here to stay in Wyoming. So regardless of your future escapades with sharpie, just know that raining on a parade will only make the rainbow shine brighter. I’ll leave you with a quote from the gorgeous Mr. Sambrano himself. “It may not be a direct threat, but it’s still threatening. It’s sad to see that someone probably going into a public service field has the mindset of not serving all the public. However, no matter how many sharpies are used, we won’t cease to exist. We’re still here. And we’re not going anywhere.” If that’s not pride, then I don’t know what is. With absolutely no love, Jayden Michael “Please turn yourself in, I dare you” Roccaforte WRITING CENTER 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! Visit us in Strausner Hall, room 215 or visit the Writing Center Moodle site for additional resources and appointment scheduling! �May 1, 2022 Page 3 CHINOOK Student Senate...................................... Wyoming State Senate, at the end of their tour. “I think it was a good experience for them,” Pham said. “And that, you know, maybe when things aren't perfect it's even better because you come away bonded more.” The photo taken of the group posing with Barrasso sits on display in Pham’s office for visitors or onlookers to see. She said she wished that more members of the Student Senate could have attended with them, but that it was a possibility in the future. “I would eat more caramel cheesecake milkshakes from Wawas,” Jones said when asked what she would do if she were to revisit the conference. “But in seriousness, I would just absorb more. I was very curious the whole trip. I asked questions wherever I could, but just ask more questions, and you know, absorb more continued from page 1 of DC.” Jones didn’t have one complaint about the trip. “I would like to say thank you for the students and the people that provided this opportunity for me,” Jones added. “It Byrd......................................................... at pranks. Byrd was so respected in her field that she was gifted a $1 million check to further her student programs by Casper's then-resident celebrity Neil McMurry. In an even more impressive turn of events, the college also offered to match this incredible sum. Byrd's programs made a clear impact, and her presence on campus will be missed both by those who know her, and likely even those who do not know that she is responsible for their success and aid. In her nearly 31 years, Byrd gave Casper College a monumental amount of hard work, support, and sacrifice. While Byrd's retirement looms ever closer, we will not lose this force of good yet. She cares a lot about Casper College and its students, a relationship deeply grown through years of hard work and dedication. She left a noticeable impact that will continued from page 1 benefit students for years to come, yet she doesn't quit. Byrd said she plans to return and help out at the college beyond retirement, despite her efforts no longer being reflected through an official title or paycheck. "I want students to know that I’m there, and I do support them…I want 'I just went for it' was a very wonderful trip. And when I got out of the car to enter the residence hall, I was like, I'm back, you know. I'd been in a state of like euphoria the whole time.Kristina and Corey can testify.” students to know that what they do here is important," said Byrd. She knows what qualities it takes to make a good leader and the tasks one must accomplish for a job well done, but at the end of the day, Byrd said she is just happy she enjoyed her time at CC. CC alumni breaks generational curse Rachelle Trujillo Chinook Writer Ashlee Taylor poses for a headshot earlier this year. Photo Courtesy of Ashlee Taylor Photo Courtesy of Ashlee Taylor Ashlee Taylor with her daughter, Gabi, in 2017. Both women are now in their final semesters at the University of Wyoming. While staffing with Senator John Barrasso, Field Representative Ashlee Taylor is often seen taking photographs, mingling with community members, and thanking all those involved with events. Once living on her own as a teen mom, Taylor never imagined this would be her life. In fall of 2001, Taylor gave birth to her first child and only daughter. She was just a few weeks shy of her 18th birthday. Taylor lived on her own with her baby, and she worked full time to support the both of them. After three months of life with a newborn, working full time, and being a high school senior, Taylor decided she needed to make some changes. “School just wasn’t in the cards for me at the moment,” she said. Then a high school dropout, Taylor’s situation was far from unique in her family. Born to a 15-year-old herself, Taylor came from a line of teen moms. Her mother’s first husband adopted Taylor, and while both parental figures in her life graduated high school, neither attended college. Taylor’s life remained challenging well into the next decade. In 2005, Taylor’s second child joined her family with her third arriving in 2007. At the age of 28, Taylor said she lived as a single mom to three children and struggled to make ends meet. Throughout the hardships, Taylor’s cheery demeanor, natural charisma, and admirable loyalty set her apart from her Target coworkers. Working in Assets Protection for over a decade, Taylor was a loyal employee who saw her job as more than a job -– it was her means of keeping herself and her children afloat. Her dedication shined through on the day she held off a shoplifter in the parking lot. Moments later, the police arrived and revealed that the man had been a wanted criminal in the Casper area for years. “He bolted out the main exit, and when I grabbed his hands to stop him, he turned around and punched me in the face. And in the little black and white security video, you just see me go flying,” she said with a laugh. “He ultimately stopped resisting because people had started to gather. I ripped his jeans, I ripped his shirt. I took my job very seriously.” The man was wanted for kidnapping, burglary, forgery, and more. The responding officer nominated Taylor for a Citizens Award– she was the one who got him off the streets. Taylor received a promotion after the incident and continued to climb the ranks at Target until she couldn’t go any further without an education. She was stuck at her job, living at the poverty level, and doing her best to provide for her three babies. “I kind of just perpetually felt like I was failing the kids. Something had to change. I took a leap of faith and put in my notice with Target.” Living with her three children in her mom’s house, Taylor said she kept a Casper College flier on her bedside table. When she finally enrolled, she did so as a general studies major. There, Taylor took Political Science Instructor Erich Frankland’s POLS 1000 class, and he recommended she apply for an internship with Senator Barrasso. “She has awesome people skills. She can relate to anyone, and they feel engaged and important when talking to her,” Frankland said of Taylor. “Ashlee was someone I knew would do really well.” Eventually, Ashlee did take the internship. Three years later, she returned to apply for a permanent position: Field Representative for United States Senator John Barrasso. For many reasons, Taylor seemed an unlikely candidate to pursue an internship and later a job with the U.S. Senate, but she made it clear it was one of the best, most spontaneous decisions she ever made. Taylor said if there’s anything that should be taken from her story, it is that sometimes, you just have to go for it. “I wasn’t super interested in policy at the time. So I said, ‘I don’t know’,” Taylor said. “But then, I just went for it.” Now, Taylor is on track to graduate in December of 2022 with her bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership, just one semester ahead of her now 21-year-old daughter. She said she plans to get to work volunteering with the Red Cross immediately after graduating, and she is working on a book about overcoming challenges and generational curses. “It was inspiring to watch my mom overcome everything that was thrown at her. Now she’s doing what she loves -- helping people and traveling around Wyoming,” Taylor’s daughter Gabi said. “She’s an amazing role model.” Taylor said the key to her success came in her continued “sunny disposition and positive attitude.” Trying things you wouldn’t normally try is also something you just have to do, she added. “Be brave -- try things you wouldn’t think interests you,” Taylor said in closing. “Look for the things that bring you joy. If you have a positive attitude, the worse things won’t be so bad.” �Page 4 CHINOOK Choose Your Course: -5K -10K -Lookout Point Half Marathon -Downhill Half Marathon Register at: www.caspercollegefoundation.org/tbird-trek Students participate for free using code 2022CCStudent May 1, 2022 �May 1, 2022 Page 5 CHINOOK Dr. Zachary Vreeman matchmaking music and text John Watts Chinook Writer In 2011 Casper College Choir Director Dr. Zachary Vreeman completed a dissertation on Randall Thompson’s “Requiem.” In the dissertation, he wrote about the connection between music and text. Through Vreeman’s indepth study of text at Nebraska State University where he received his doctorate, Vreeman refined songs to match the pitch of the music. In teaching his students to raise or lower their pitch to match that of the instruments, Vreeman said this about instructing, “I will take the extra five to ten seconds to explain why we made the change and not say ‘because the instructor said so’.” Casper College Financial Aid Counselor and International Student Coordinator Mala Stagg, who is a long-time choir member, spoke on an example she learned from her time singing with Vreeman. “Vreeman will often draw pictures on the board of what the inside structure of our mouths should look like when we form our vowels. If the entire choir does it the same way, the words are much more understandable and we can emphasize certain things easier,” said Stagg. While Vreeman shares a passion for music with Stagg his start to music looked different. Vreeman grew up in Anchorage, Alaska where his parents familiarized him with choir due to their participation. In high school, Vreeman said he played the trombone and considered himself a band kid. It was not until his sophomore year of high school that Vreeman took his first voice lessons. Due to Vreeman’s experience playing both the trombone and piano, as well as the ability to read sheet music at a high level of proficiency, he said it did not take him long to catch up to his peers with more years of musical experience. After high school, Vreeman pursued a degree in engineering and did well in his studies, but his interests still gravitated him toward his major in music. Vreeman took to music so well that he went on to get his bachelors in music and masters in curriculum and instruction at Dordt College and his doctoral degree at the University of Nebraska. In August of 2013, Vreeman came to Casper College and became the director of choral activities. The efforts of Vreeman studying text were noticeable when he became the choir director at CC. He gave an example of two different conductors and ensembles he watched while in his new role of choir director, which shaped him into the conductor he is today. “The first conductor conducted the piece of music differently every time, but his group could make the audience cry, whereas the second conductor directed the piece the same way every time and could put on impressive performances, but (the performances) were emotionally detached,” said Vreeman. Vreeman mentioned how he could combine the strengths of the two ensembles by giving attention to the relationship between music and text. Vreeman expressed how thoughtlessly songs were sung in many performances. “Many do not let the words rhythmically flow,” said Vreeman. He mentioned how text is poetry that carries a form of musicality, which shows expressiveness. This means he can take the best of both conductors and ensembles because text adds emotion to the conductor who puts on impressive-detached performances and gives structure to the inconsistent conductor to make his expressive performances impressive. Vreeman talked about the English language being such a gift in choir. “There is an opportunity to shade vowels and words giving extra connotations,” Vreeman said. Stagg talked about the way Vreeman teaches words and text. “He teaches us that not all words in music are equal, and sometimes you need to change even just how you think of what you are singing to change what it sounds like,” said Stagg. Vreeman brought up how several languages have five common pronunciations in comparison to the endless ways words can be pronounced in the English language. For example, Latin has five pure vowel sounds: ah, eh, ee, aw, and oo and the inflections stay true in every word. He described the difference Photo Courtesy of Zachary Vreeman Choral Instructor Dr. Zachary Vreeman is pictured above conducting. of learning Latin and how its habit forming to mimic the sounds of the words in comparison to the English text that has, as Vreeman says, “poetic rhythms and sounds.” Alongside all the sounds and connotations of the English language, the language also offers multiple words for similar actions. Vreeman gave the example of the word ‘snatch’ versus the word 'grab'. He referred to snatch as more of a sneaky action compared to grab as a more relaxed action. Vreeman mentioned how slight differences in these words and how they are presented allow for interpretation. “We are never limited to how we can understand a text,” Vreeman said. Vreeman said that he recognizes that a conductor needs to continually listen to other groups to achieve the next level of success and stay creative. Along with listening, Vreeman joined many groups including Anchorage Opera, Colorado Bach Ensemble, Sheridan professional choir, and CC choirs to perform. “You have to keep performing,” said Vreeman when talking about becoming an effective instructor. Vreeman constantly reminds himself and his stu- dents that performing produces something that is very sacred. “Choir is a unique art, similar to theatre and dance. It only exists while it is happening. Unlike a painting or piece of pottery, there is nothing left after a performance,” Vreeman said. Vreeman’s desire to let text put on an emotional performance is not only for those who listen to his music but also for the students who perform it. “I hope my student will enjoy singing not because it was impressive but because it did something to them emotionally,” Vreeman said. Successful realtor returns to CC for EMT degree Julie Seidel/Chinook Jason Spence posed for a photo while working as a member of the local Hogadon Ski Patrol on Casper Mountain. Julie Seidel Chinook Writer Jason Spence, a 49-year-old successful realtor, returned to higher education through Casper College to further his range of volunteering with an emergency medical service degree. His life before this decision was a winding path of unexpected events. Spence endured a rather cultured young life. His mother, Spanish and catholic, in courtship with his father, Irish and protestant, led to a challenging marriage, according to Spence. With his father in the Royal Air Force, the family traveled the world with Spence born in England and his brother, Jasper, born in Ireland. Spence graduated high school as a young 16-year-old and played professional soccer for Coventry City Fútbol Club based in Coventry, West Midlands, England. As a college athlete, he got a bachelor's degree in computer science. Spence said that after school he worked for an online investment services company as an analyst programmer at IEX Group NV company. His professional fútbol career started him off on his financial growth. At just 17-years-old, Spence bought his first house and his first sports car in Scotland, England. Unfortunately, Spence grew to dislike his degree based career. “I retired from the rat race, and I said I was never going to work again,” said Spence. “I don’t like bosses and white collar jobs, so I became my own boss after getting my realtors license.” Spence inherited half of his mother's villa and gained interest in starting an airbnb. Later, he bought out his brother's half. His father currently lives in the villa rent free, according to Spence. “I actually bought an apartment about 20 years ago, and I lived there for one year,” said Collon Spence, Spence’s father. “Jason bought it and kept it in the family, and now he rents it out as a short-term rental. I am very humbled and proud of his work.” Even though Spence found a new hobby, he missed his athletic years and when his friend reached out to him about a tennis coaching opportunity. He never played tennis before but he jumped on the offer. He took the job coaching 7-year-old girl, Isabelle Korteneer, who Spence said he was expected to go pro. He coached her at the University of Plymouth in England, where he also went for his coaching and performance sports degree at the same time. While coaching Korteneer, he helped her earn multiple athletic accomplishments. At just 10-yearsold, Korteneer claimed the title of number one in her junior division. With Spence as her coach, she also ranked top four in the 14-year-old age group and top 10 in the world for juniors. As Spence traveled coaching Korteneer, he expanded his real estate empire by buying houses, apartments, and duplexes along the way. He currently owns airbnb’s in Spain, England, Ireland, Australia, and two in America. “My rentals set me up financially so I can live like a king,” said Spence. “Americans live to work with capitalist money. Europeans work to live. In Spain, it’s mañana (indefinite future) and tomorrow you have siestas at 2 o'clock. You might not even go back to work.” After retiring from coaching, Spence decided to start his own financial business. According to Ashlyn, his now ex-wife, Spence did not excel at math, which later forced him to sell the business. The downfall also broke up their relationship. His unexpected relationship change caused Spence to move across the country to Casper, Wyo. According to Spence, he was astounded to hear about a ski resort located only 15 minutes away from the town. Even though he took two years of ski lessons at the age of 21, Spence traveled to the mountains. He fell in love with the location and community of Hogadon Ski Patrol and decided to join the non-profit organization. After two years of ski patrol, Lynn Hyath, or yoda as they called him, encouraged Spence to go back to school for his EMT degree. He hopped on the opportunity and started going to Casper College in 2021. “In college you’ll learn the knowledge, but a lot of the time you don’t actually learn the hands on,” said Spence. Spence explained that he loves his classes and his teachers have up to 100 years of experience added all together as paramedics. Spence shared a time when his education proved challenging -- in his first ride along with Wyoming Medical Center, a man with an unintentional gun wound had a hemothorax. According to Spence, it was inspiring to see the nurses and doctors in action, and it sparked his interest even more in the field. “There is an adrenaline rush in ski patrol of helping people and getting that fast-paced action. It suits my qualities,” said Spence. “With my ability to be calm, think under pressure, and have compassion for the patients, I make a good fit for the job.” In the end, Spence said he just wants to give back to his community. After traveling to 151 countries and learning three languages, Spence said he’s ready to build another personal community in Casper. Spence said, “Obviously, you have to put into society and do constructive work and be a positive member of your community, but there is a lot more to life. It's about experiencing and having fun and that is what Ski Patrol and EMT paramedics are all about. I can be a little boy and drive around in big toys with flashing lights and actually do a good thing, a good service.” Join our staff this fall! 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 �Page 6 Too rich for blood Abigail Landwehr Chinook Writer Alongside the cookies and juice boxes received after the process of donating plasma, many donation centers throw in another incentive to sweeten the deal even further. “It was money,” Cam Moore, a political science student at Casper College said. “I was in my first semester in college and.. my friend's like, ‘hey, have you heard about this plasma donation? You can do it and like get a little bit of extra money…’ I donated some blood before. I'm like, right, I can do this." Money is often the main motivator in donating plasma. The amount given to donators varies depending on the amount of times a donator returned, friends they referred, or promotions currently happening. In Moore’s case, he earned around $70 for his first couple of donations when he started visiting the Casper BioLife Plasma Services center in 2019. “Donor compensation can vary depending on the local market environment,” Alicia Highlander, the BioLife communications lead said. “Donating plasma is voluntary and in line with industry practice, BioLife compensates individuals who donate plasma in recognition of their time and commitment.” Donating blood follows a similar process. Donors go through a screening and fill out paperwork. Then on the day of their appointment, donors are hooked up to a machine to undergo the donation process. Both blood and plasma donors are awarded with snacks to raise blood sugar, but the plasma process also comes with a blue plastic card containing money. According to the BioLife website, this is due mostly to the fact that plasma is unable to be produced synthetically. Instead, the amount available is due solely to how many donators contribute. To increase interest and the number of those donating, BioLife pays donors for their plasma. “The global demand for plasma continues to increase, and BioLife is growing its network across the U.S. with over 160 centers, responsibly May 1, 2022 CHINOOK and sustainably, to help meet this urgent need,” Highlander said. “Plasma is used to create lifesaving medicines for hundreds of thousands of people who live with rare and complex chronic diseases… Therapies developed from plasma replace missing or deficient proteins containing disease-fighting antibodies, which are obtained from human plasma, so that patients can live a happier and healthier life.” While donors aren’t paid for solely donating blood, they are awarded with plastic debit card in exchange for their plasma donation. Moore said his card sits in in his wallet, and since his first visit three years ago, he’s returned to donate eight times and scheduled another appointment during his interview. According to the BioLife app, by following the promotion throughout the month, Moore was on track to earn $700 for his donations. Moore said the money he made through the processes often went towards his college fund or personal checking account. “My biggest thing for Abigail Landwehr/Chinook College students have been donating plasma to organizations, such as BioLife, as a means of making extra money for years. people who want to do it is that if you're sensitive towards needles, don't do this,” Moore said. “I know some people have done that before and they passed out.. it's not worth having a huge bruise in your arm.” After earning his own bruise at one of his own donations, Moore said he thought it was good money but a bit of a gamble. He also warned potential donators to be cautious and hydrate before their appointments. “If you don't mind needles and aren't super busy, I would do it,” Moore added. To be eligible to donate plasma, those interested need to be at least 18 years old, weigh above 110 pounds, and pass the initial pre-donation physical and screening that happen upon each visit. “BioLife has two different ways that you can sign up to be a donor,” Highlander said. “One is our website, www. biolifeplasma.com and the other is by downloading the BioLife App. Then you simply complete a profile and book an appointment to get started.” Wyoming Congressional Award Medal Recipient Photo Courtesy of Ashley Christiansen Photography Senator John Barrasso and Senator Cynthia Lummis awarded Ellie Weibel with her bronze, silver, and gold Congressional Award Medals on Sunday, April 3, 2022 at the Cheyenne Civic Center. Kaley Pieper Chinook Writer Ellie Weibel, a nursing major at Casper College, is a recipient of a Congressional Award Medal. The Congressional Medal Award is a prestigious award earned by young people across the country to recognize initiative, service, and achievement in America’s youth. The award also provides opportunities for young people to unleash their potential by achieving personal goals focused on volunteerism, character development, and fitness. Weibel started to pursue her goals in the program over two years ago. After her hard work, Weibel received the top honor of a gold medal. “Some people start on the bronze and work their way up to the gold, but I decided to complete it all at once and got all three medals at the same time,” said Weibel. On the morning of Sunday, April 3 at the Cheyenne Civic Center, the Wyoming Congressional Award Council held its annual state award ceremony to honor youth from across Wyoming who earned Congressional Award medals. “Senator John Barrasso and Senator Cynthia Lummis were there and Congresswoman Liz Cheney was supposed to be there, but she was sick. That was really cool to meet them,” Weibel said. “They got to hand me my award, and I got to take a picture with them. I also got to meet people with some of the same goals as me from all over the state of Wyoming.” Also in attendance at the ceremony was Sarah Compton, the Executive Director of the Wyoming Congressional Award Council. “It is a large amount of personal growth. And honestly, it’s a very hard sell for a 14-year-old to see this growth. But overall, we hear that youth who complete this program really grow. It helps them learn about themselves and most importantly, their communities -- the effect they can have on their communities,” Compton said when asked about the award. Short term growth isn’t the only goal of the program. This two year program makes it easier to engage in a lifetime of service. Compton also said, “I love to be able to meet and see the kids, and get to know what they’re doing. I had the opportunity to meet Ellie, and she was wonderful. It’s a great program for those kids.” The award focuses on four main components. For her voluntary public service piece, Weibel worked in her high school athletic training room helping athletes recover from injuries. Students can choose any type of volunteering to count towards the award. Volunteering counts towards the bulk of the award. Another unique volunteer project that Compton recalls is a young man who revived the football program at his high school. “He really spearheaded everything, from finding kids to doing the grounds, to getting coaches and funding for uniforms. I just thought ‘wow’! That’s a big deal for a kid in high school who still has other stuff going on,” Compton said. The next component of the award is personal development. Weibel worked as a life guard and barista at Metro for her personal development. For physical fitness, Weibel was active in volleyball at her high school, Natrona County. For her exploration expedition, Weibel got the opportunity to go to Florida. Weibel was originally supposed to go to Mexico in 2020, but due to Covid restrictions, she was unable to travel. So she went to Florida last year instead of when things opened up again. We did a lot of exploring of the town of Clearwater. My favorite thing we did was paddle boarding down the Weeki Wachee River. The water was really clear, and I could see manatees and other cool animals. It’s a very cool place that not a lot of people get to see,” Weibel described. Weibel shared advice to anyone considering the award. “If you make manageable goals, they are fun to reach, and it makes it all worth it in the end. I gained personal growth and motivation. Making myself work on the goals, and not having someone push me or having a grade to earn,” said Weibel. “It’s all for myself and the satisfaction of what comes out of it at the end.” www.caspercollege.edu/chinook Wellness Center introduces Nod app Nod supports students to build social connections in three ways: 1. Ideas: Prompts based on the science of social connection that help you take action. 2. Reflections: Short in-app exercises help students process social experiences, track their mood, reduce self-criticism, and build resilience so you can keep progressing toward your social goals. 3. Testimonials: Real student perspectives on social connection to help you learn from others and understand the ups and downs along the way. Connect with a Wellness Center counselor for a deeper dive into reaching your social goals. Call 307-268-2267 �May 1, 2022 Page 7 CHINOOK Gunnare's storied impact Elena Tzelou Chinook Writer Submitted Photo A mom of a Casper College women's basketball player shared a photo Gunnare coaching at the beginning of the season. Dwight Gunnare, the head coach of the Casper College Women's Basketball team is the one of the most important factors to success in CC athletics. His success is proven by all of the titles and championships he and his teams earn. “Coaching women’s basketball is my passion,” Gunnare said. According to Gunnare every year is different but the goal remains the same. The goal, as the coach mentioned, is to go as far as the team can while improving the athletes skills. He also stressed the importance of putting in hard work not only on the court but academically as well. “I am so glad to be in my 14th year in CC,” Gunnare said. Gunnare added that CC feels like a second home and the team represents a second family based on the amount of time he spends with team members during the day. Gunnare said, “I realized that all the hard work pays off and everyone is getting a reward.” After 38 years of coaching he realized that his job is not done when the season is over. In his 14 years at CC, Gunnare said he believes that success goes beyond winning basketball games. He is working hard to help the sophomores get to the next level and improve themselves. “My players' happiness goes above every award,”Gunnare said. Nathaniel Macy, the assistant coach of the Lady T-bird agreed. “I am happy when my athletes are,” Macy said. Gunnare received the award of the ‘Coach of the year’ many times in his career. He said such an award is something that makes him really happy, but at the same time he said he owes it to the players who are giving 100% of themselves and win championships. “Details make the difference,” Gunnare said. Gunnare said that the team’s success would not happen without the help of Macy who is also working hard on many different things, including his work for the team and the class he teaches. “I am blessed and thankful to have such a great collaboration with Coach Gunnare,” said Macy. He said he believes that every year the team is filled with amazing players, but the thing that makes Gunnare’s team always outstanding is in the statistics that leads him averaging 26.5 wins per year. According to Macy, Gunnare shared many useful tips that helped him become a capable coach with a successful team. “CC is a great opportunity for all the athletes,”Gunnare said. Gunnare added that he is really picky and careful with his choices in athletes because all he wants is athletes that can sacrifice a lot of free time to develop themselves academically and in basketball. “I had really good experiences in my whole career,” Gunnare said. However, after years and years of coaching the end of his career is coming soon. According to Gunnare, he thinks young coaches should have some new important opportunities, and he believes that he already gave every piece of his knowledge to the game. “We all love Coach G and his trust in us,” Kate Robertons and Dejaan Schuler of the Lady T-birds said. The Lady T-birds all agreed that they enjoyed the year with coaches Gunnare and Macy. Gunnare's effort and the way he handles the practice will make him unforgettable. Another thing according to the players of the team hat makes them so grateful to be part of the team is all the help they receive from the coaches either with support for school or with extra help in basketball when more practice is needed. “Leaving CC is really hard,” Belen Morales of the Lady T-birds said. Player Jo Vaz said she enjoyed the two years journey at CC. “It is really hard for us to abandon not only our lovely team, but also the coaches who are giving us daily all that kind love that we deserve,” said Vaz. 2022 Ropin' & Riggin' Days Photo Courtesy of Cory Garvin Myles Carlson rides bareback for Casper College at the college's 66th Annual Ropin' & Riggin' Days Rodeo last month. Forensics team brings home hardware Photo Courtesy of Doug Hall The Casper College Forensics Team posed for a photo with their awards at the Phi Rho Pi National Tournament in St. Charles, Mo. From left: Markie Whitney, Alex Walters, Violet Wright, Doug Hall, Emma Kellick, Brax Sambrano, Emma Rudell, Jayden Roccaforte, Ethan Fife, Shelby Davis, Pearl Taylor. The team returned home with a silver in individual events, silver in debate, and an overall bronze. Alex Walters of Rapid City, S.D. won gold in persuasive speaking, gold in impromptu Speaking, and silver in informative Speaking. Brax Sambrano of Casper won bronze in prose interpretation. Violet Wright of Casper won bronze in informative speaking. Emma Kellick of Casper won Gold in impromptu speaking and bronze in nformative speaking. Shelby Davis of Newcastle, Wyo. won gold in international public debate, top speaker in international public debate. Markie Whitney of Newcastle, Wyo. won gold in international public debate. Pearl Taylor of Rapid City, S.D. won Bronze in poetry interpretation. Emma Rudell of Cheyenne, Wyo. won bronze in poetry Interpretation, bronze in program oral interpretation, and bronze in duo interpretation. Jayden Roccaforte of Cheyenne, Wyo. won bronze in prose interpretation, bronze in duo interpretation, and gold in program oral interpretation. �Page 8 May 1, 2022 CHINOOK How the tables turn The educated become the educators Jay M. Roccaforte Chinook Writer Former Casper College students Allen Pino and Catalina Pedroza now both teach at Meadowlark Elementary School and coach for Cheyenne East Speech & Debate. After celebrating their nine year anniversary together last month on April 5, the two spoke about their growth as educators in the same state where they grew up. Pedroza spent her early education in Evanston before attending high school in Cheyenne. Pino, however, got his entire K-12 education in Cheyenne, where he attended East High School and competed for the speech and debate team. On said speech and debate team is where the two first crossed paths and began dating. According to Pino, he didn’t initially know what he planned to do after high school. He said it wasn’t until he made contact with and joined the CC forensics team that his college career began to take shape. Being a year younger than Pino, Pedroza joined him in Casper the next year. “Allen and I were trying to do long distance,” Pedroza explained, “And so by the time I graduated, I went to Casper College knowing I wanted to teach basically. They gave me so many opportunities to do so much! I could do band, and I could be on the speech team, and I could be in student senate. Versus if I went to the University of Wyoming, I couldn’t have done all those things.” CC proved to be an amazing experience for the two, with chances to meet new people, make new memories, and learn new things. Both said the community they encountered at CC proved essential in forming their outlook on education and the passion they have for their work. According to Pino, “I’m in the business of opportunity. I’m a first generation college person in my family. There were a lot of things I thought I should never be able to do, especially with my background. Casper College was in the business of creating that opportunity for me, so I just kinda view myself that way as a teacher now, and as a coach. Like that’s what I want to be.” Pedroza is a 5th grade teacher finishing up her third year at Meadowlark while Pino is reaching the end of two years as the technology teacher for all students. “The year before, I was a sub primarily at East and Meadowlark, so I was very familiar to the building before I was a part of the staff,” Pino explained, “I interact with all the teachers (and) every student in the building, so over the course of a week I work with five-hundred plus students.” According to Pino and Pedroza, they endured many hardships as teachers, especially through the pandemic. In her first years at Meadowlark, Pedroza said she learned countless valuable lessons. Regardless, she recognized that being a teacher is a constant learning experience. “In terms of growth, I’m not ready to be a parent right now, right?” Pedroza explained. “But I’m a parent of twentyfour kids. I just feel like it’s so hard to try to understand what a ten-year-old feels because they can’t communicate it very well. And me, I’m just like a baby too. I’m gonna get tenured next year, which is crazy, but I’m still learning.” In their time at Meadowlark, the two started a speech and debate program built off of Cheyenne East’s program. Pino and Pedroza volunteered time to the high school team throughout and after college, and Cheyenne East hired Pino as a coach in 2016. Pedroza recently also joined the coaching staff for the Cheyenne East team in September of 2021. Marcus Viney, a close friend of Pino and Pedroza, started as the head coach of Cheyenne East Speech and Debate in 2014. After working with the two for so long, he discussed his strong desire to hire Pedroza last year. “It was the most natural and obvious choice,” Viney explained. “She’s been helping the team since I started. She’d come to practices, she’d go to tournaments – and notice – she’s not getting paid for any of that. And so when it came time to try to find a new coach, it was just obvious, like ‘Oh, of course Cat! Of course we’re gonna bring her in.’” After years of being an unofficial coach, Pedroza talked about the feeling of finally becoming a part of the East staff while also teaching at Meadowlark. “I just ‘officially’ became a coach? Like I’m on the payroll,” Pedroza explained. “But I feel like I have a lot to learn. It’s hard knowing that we’re not in the building, which makes a big difference. To be so far away from East even though we go there all the time, it just feels like there’s a disconnect right now.” According to Viney, however, Pedroza’s role at Meadowlark is vital due to her work in extending the team’s program to the elementary school. “It’s hard because, you know, I’m at the high school, and I can talk all day long about building bridges and Jay M. Roccaforte/Chinook Casper College alumni Allen Pino and Catalina Pedroza posed for a photo outside of Meadowlark Elementary School in Cheyenne. trying to extend the program, but it’s actually really, really, really hard to get over to the school in time and make connections and do stuff. You literally physically need another person over there! But she is over there. She made the connection,” Viney said. Pino and Pedroza entered the speech and debate world nearly a decade ago, and the process of becoming respected individuals in the community is indescribable for them. Pino expressed his feelings of gratitude in seeing the impact his words have had on students. “I think there were these moments where, like, a student would ask me, ‘Do you legitimately think I could be good at this?’ and I’m like ‘Yes, I truly believe you could be good at this.’ And in that interaction, you see a lightbulb turn on in them,” said Pino. Such moments with students are powerful for Pino and Pedroza. Likewise, Pino elaborated on the differences between his relationship with Meadowlark students versus Pedroza’s. “I think the cool thing for her is she’s working with 24 students like all year ‘round. She really gets to know them. I only see them once a week. Her first group are seventh graders now, and you can tell how much they love her.” As elementary teachers, Pino and Pedroza are witnessing the early years of their student’s education. However, being coaches at the highschool as well, the two showed excitement for the future of students beyond their Meadowlark classrooms. According to Pedroza, “What’s cool about me working in the East triad is that eventually my first year kids are gonna be freshmen, and I get to see them again! I’m so excited because they’re gonna be all big! A lot of people don’t get the opportunity to have that. I think that’s amazing. And to cheer them on when they go to college! I don’t know, it’s wild to think about.” Having come so far, Pino and Pedroza still have a world of experiences ahead of them. The two emphasized how important it is for students to have someone that will listen. Especially after the isolation brought on by the pandemic, the two believe that kids are in need of teachers who value their voice. Pino and Pedroza have faced their share of struggles, but the two consistently show up as friends and valuable resources for elementary and high school students alike. “If you ever go into education, you’ll have these moments of clarity where you know exactly why you’re doing this,” Pedroza said. “You find your way again.” Taking online or hybrid courses? Students: We make sure you are able to access online learning resources needed to learn in your classes. We will also help you learn to utilize the digital tools available to you for all your classwork. Examples of items we can help with: 1. MyCCMoodle — including how to submit assignments, participate in forums, etc. 2. ZOOM – help you learn to access and use Zoom for your remote course meetings and collaborations 3. Google Suite — Google Docs, Drive, GMail, etc. 4. Accessing Office 365 .- such as MS Word and PowerPoint 5. Online tutoring — How and where to get extra help as you need it, using NetTutor. Plus a lot more! Contact us. Don’t wait! Get your Questions answered now. Teresa Pat Mike Tyler For help or more information stop by Liesinger Hall, room 132 or contact us at 307-268-3882, dlc@caspercollege.edu, and av@caspercollege.edu. Dave Camille �May 1, 2022 Page 9 CHINOOK CC instructor offers unique learning experience Violet Wright Chinook Writer For students taking their first course with Political Science Instructor Dr. Nathan Blank, he may seem like an average community college instructor. However, throughout the duration of one of his courses, students will learn about his unique and exciting experiences before his time teaching at Casper College. Blank has been teaching at Casper College for nearly 10 years as a political science instructor. He teaches courses ranging from U.S. and Wyoming Government to more in-depth courses such as International Relations and Introduction to Terrorism, as well as many others. However, his teaching career didn’t begin as one might expect. Blank began his career as a corporate businessman after completing his bachelor’s degree in history. Working for Mervyns, a long-forgotten and out-of-business department store, Blank started to question his work in the corporate world. “I was sitting in a two-day meeting with vendors. We were working on how we could get socks and underwear more quickly to stores, and I just had the thought of ‘is my life now just about the movement of underwear and socks?’ … and I was thinking ‘I can’t do this for my whole life.’” After some soul searching, Blank decided to leave behind his corporate job at Mervyn’s. He returned to school to work on his master’s degree at a program offering political science for those working towards a career in government. Within a few semesters, Blank said the school asked him to teach a course, and he found that he really enjoyed the experience. Still, after completing his master’s degree, Blank said he wasn’t sure if he wanted to teach or work in a different field. He decided to apply for jobs in government agencies-- such as the FBI, State Department, and CIA-at the same time he also applied to PhD programs. Blank ultimately started his PhD program at Northern Illinois University. Later, he learned he had gained acceptance into an international PhD Program. “I started, did a whole year of coursework, and in the middle of the year I got accepted at Australian National University. I had to make a decision -- Stay in Northern Illinois or sell my house, cars, and everything we own to take my wife and two kids to the other side of the planet,” said Blank. Blank described his acceptance into ANU as a “fluke.” In his application process he searched for political science programs that specialized in Asia studies, leading him to apply for ANU– one of the best schools in the world for studying asian politics. Opportunities at ANU allowed Blank the opportunity to spend six months in the Philippines doing field research for his dissertation. After finishing his dissertation and working for a short time at another college, Blank came to CC where he is highly respected by his colleagues and students who enjoy his expertise, experience, and humor. “Dr. Blank stood out pretty quickly… he is a dynamic personality in the classroom,” said Erich Frankland, Blank’s colleague who taught at CC when Blank first started. “[Blank] is reliable, insightful, and open to dialogue, and you see those characteristics in class… students know that he cares.” His colleagues aren’t the only ones who take notice of Blank’s commitment and unique set of experience. In class, Blank discusses his experiences of living and going to school in Australia and the Philippines. Bryan Noel, a political science student who is taking Blank’s international relations course, explained: “I really like that he integrates personal stories into his lectures. It shows the experience he has,” Said Noel “He shows videos and describes his travels, which is interesting to hear about and applicable to the class discussion.” Noel discussed how Blank brings a unique set of experiences that captivate his students and helps them develop a new lens to see the world. As a teacher, he encourages his students to seek out opportunities and experiences that will help them to see the world, such as foreign service and study abroad programs. Because of his experience, he inspires students to try things that have the potential to change their lives for the better. Photos Courtesy of Nathan Blank Political Science Instructor Nathan Blank shared photos of his time in the Philipines in 2009. Blank is pictured above in Manilla with Collin, a twoyear-old Orangutan. To the right is a photo of Blank's family on Guimaras Island. Blank said he was taking a break from dissertation research to visit a beach resort with his wife and kids. The Blanks have since added two more children to the family. Discover Casper College Isabella Coronado/Chinook Left, Admissions Coordinator Tori Misak addresses a crowd of local high school sophomores that attended the Discover Casper College event on campus. Discover Casper College is an opportunity for high school students to spend time on campus, meet faculty and staff, and learn about various programs. Students attending DCC met in the "Sweded" Erickson Thunderbird Gymnasium at Casper College where staff introduced themselves and provided a map of the day. The group of students is pictured below engaging in opening activities. �Page 10 May 1, 2022 CHINOOK Casino Night 2022 Isabella Coronado/ Chinook Julie Hansen, academic assistant for the Casper College School of Science helped out with Casino Night by leading games with groups of students. Isabella Coronado/ Chinook Isabella Coronado/ Chinook Students packed the Casper College cafeteria for Casino Night. Fun was had by all while enjoying great food, various games, and generous prizes. Isabella Coronado/ Chinook Shown from left to right are Student Senate members Logan MacKearney, Dani Warner, and Savannah Peterson. Student Senate helped put on the casino night for students and faculty. Pictured above the setup of all of the amazing food provided for a fun night of playing games with students and professors as the end of the semester nears. Isabella Coronado/ Chinook Casino Night was well-attended by students enjoying many different games and refreshments with friends and faculty. Returning to Campus next Fall? Need a JOB??? Want a work schedule with flexibility around your classes? Want to save gas $ by not having to work across town? Join us in Dining Services! Get paid every other week, plus free meals when you work! Be a part of our NEW Dining Experience beginning Fall 2022! Apply on indeed.com Search for Sodexo in Casper and select the Student Worker position. Complete the application process entirely and we will be in touch mid-July. Resident Students will be able to move in early for training before classes start. � 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 2022-05 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. 2022-05 Description An account of the resource This is a copy of the online Chinook Newspaper from May 2022. 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_2022-05 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/f37676c3251263873c125e970b8e7978.pdf 16a5035c1048048fb0bc8d82f3fc69c6 PDF Text Text December 2022 Casper College’s Student Voice Since 1945 Trouble with Wheeler Terrace Apartments Kaylee Davis Chinook Contributor Photo Courtsey of Kaylee Davis Shown above are the Wheeler Terrace Apartments at Casper College. Students arrive on campus to move in this fall, only to be greeted by unsanitary leftovers from former tenants. You are a student at Casper College, and you decide to live in the Wheeler Terrace Apartments. You travel many hours to get to Casper and you are excited about your new adventure of living in the apartments after living in the dorms. There’s only one problem, you walk into your new home for the year and the smell hits your noise hard. You walk further into your apartment and the walls are dirty, there’s an old dingy microwave, food left in the fridge, and leftover clothes from the past tenants. That’s a brief description of how several apartments were at the beginning of the school year. Now, not every apartment was like that, and not every apartment will be, however for some students it was a disappointing scene upon moving in. The Wheeler Terrace Apartments are located on Casper College’s Campus, right down the street from the dorms. They are available for those who are 19 years old or are a sophomore. They are perfect for having more space to yourself, while still being on campus, and you have a kitchen, living room area, bathroom, and each tenant, two to be exact, have their own separate bedrooms. These are some of the contributing factors as to why students choose to live here, including those interviewed. During the summer months, there are students who can live in the apartments due to other circumstances throughout the break. Kaitlin Davidson, Residence Hall Coordinator, said they do have those students who live in Wheeler Terrace over the summer and that “their check-in and check-out process is the same for everyone who lives in any of our buildings.” For check-in, the RA will show you the damages that may be present in the room, and they write those down so that you aren’t charged for those when you check-out. When you check-out, the RA will note if there are any new damages to your room, and if they weren’t there before, then you may be charged for those. However, once you have moved out, a work order is sent in to clean or fix the damages. Most residents upon move in may do the basic cleaning such as vacuuming and wiping down the main surfaces. However, for some they had to do a bit more than the basics. Madi Lupher, a resident in Wheeler Terrace said that when she arrived, “there was a bag of fries in my freezer, a pair of old shoes, a football, and an absolutely disgusting microwave that was so bad inside it went in the garbage.” As a student who is excited about their new home, this is something that is frustrating. She felt that from the room’s appearance, it looked like the check-out process really didn't occur. Madi — See Apartments Page 3 New Visual Arts Center open to CC students Lucy Jane Crimm Chinook Writer Lucy Jane Crimm/Chinook Molly Harshman (right) helps Landri Engelk center her clay piece during the evening ceramics class. In 2016 Casper College began planning to demolish and rebuild the Dick and Marialyce Tobin Visual Arts Center, but the project came to a halt during the COVID-19 pandemic. The building finally opened for classes in October. While the project isn’t completely finished and some classes are still temporarily held in other buildings on campus, Casper College professors and students expressed excitement to see the project become a reality. “I’m thrilled that we’re in the new building,” Graphic Design Instructor Cynthia Harrison said. “To be in this building and to be with my department gives me much more of a sense of community and belonging.” The design of the new Visual Arts Center is modern, and the building features brand new equipment and technology. Students have access to over 30 new computers in the building and 20 new Mac computers in the Mac Lab with other computers also available for students to use in between classes. There is a new 13x19 photo quality printer for graphic design and two new Epson printers for the photography classes. The college included the art instructors throughout the process of designing the building in order to create a space where art students thrive. “Students are going to benefit in so many ways,” Ceramics Instructor Mike Olsen said. “The building is designed with creating art in mind. Every time I tour people through and I look at these spaces, I tell everyone I wish I could go back 30 years and start all over again. I want to take classes here.” Photography Instructor Shawn Bush mentioned that he’s most excited about the new dark room because he said it is nicer than any other college dark room he has seen. The new state of the art dark room for the film photography class features brand new, high quality technology, as well as a ventilation system that the old dark room didn’t have. Bush said, “It’ll be nice for the students to not have to sit in the fumes while they work in the dark room.” Students are excited to finally have a space where they can focus on their art and spend time with their peers. The building’s design is popular with students for its open plan and modern design. Graphic design major Alex Torres takes his 2D design, drawing and digital art classes in the new building and is excited to have a new space where he can work and be with other art students. “I really enjoy the new building,” Torres said. “I think it brings in a lot of life for the art — See Visual Arts, Page 4 Hearing the world around us Bailey Menzel Chinook Writer Photo Courtesy of Bailey Menzel Pictured above audio instructor Larry Burger inside the recording studio at Wheeler Concert Hall. When entering the mixing room of the sound department at Casper College, one is met by a wide range of shapes plastered on the walls and an array of sound equipment. The shapes insulate sound and the equipment is made up of mixing tables, speakers, buttons, and knobs of various sizes, each appearing to be more expensive and fun to use than the last. There’s a small area of chairs all in view of the large monitor to see every inch of the action in the small insulated room. And though the room isn't that large, what it lacks in size it makes up for in company with the beaming presence of audio instructor Larry Burger. Burger has taught in the audio department at CC for the past 15 plus years. He says he has tried to, “ Build his class structure around really trying to help each student get exactly what they want out it.” Such effort is seen very clearly upon entering the department, as visitors are met with smiling faces and a sea of tech jargon. The atmosphere comes from ignited passions for the material presented in Larry's classes. He is described by others as someone who loves his field of work and enjoys sharing that love with people. Aside from his time teaching audio at CC, Burger spends a good amount of time at his recording and audio business right here in Casper. Former student and now staff member at CC Tyler Sanner stated that he took his first class with Burger in the fall of 2010. He said he found himself at a point in life where he wanted to learn a lot more about sound. “After a little time in class and the personal audio experiences I had, I walked in one day and told Larry I wanted to make this a career, and I’m still here and he’s still facilitating that,” said Sanner. This is truly an example of Burger having an effect on the way someone hears the world around them. Sanner went on to continue his pursuit of the audio industry and now works as the college's digital learning/ AV coordinator. Sanner described the type of environment and knowledge he experienced throughout the past few years with Burger and emphasizing how he is on the “cutting edge of the knowledge in the industry.” “Sometimes I even have a hard time keeping up with him, as he is so passionate in this field,” Sanner said. Bridge Helm, also a student of the audio department, is frequently seen at events in Wheeler Concert Hall helping Burger set microphones or run the sound board for a choir concert or jazz band festival. Helm shared nothing but nice www.caspercollege.edu/chinook things about Burger. He said, “He is someone that makes you happy to learn. He’s not done until we are all hands on and hearing the difference at the end of the class.” Which seems to be a theme that is very prevalent in Burger’s mind as when asked what his favorite part about teaching in the audio department he replies “My hope is that by the end of the class, you start to listen and hear things a little differently, even if it’s in a minor way -- you begin to really hear the world around us,” Burger said. There are many elements that make up the teaching staff at CC -- experience, drive, enthusiasm and overall love for the subject. It is clear Burger brings those elements to the audio department in spades. Perhaps his hope should be everyone’s goal and not just a goal for an audio class -- to really hear the world around us. �Page 2 Chinook Stance Divine's Intervention: As we enter the home stretch of the fall semester and into the holiday season, I want to touch on two separate, but related topics. The first topic is life balance. Please be sure to take care of yourself over the winter break by enjoying the weather, embracing the holiday season, spending time with your friends and family, or engaging in any activity that brings you peace and happiness. It is all Benefits of work study positions Jonathan Togstad Jots with Jonathan The work study program at Casper College has benefited me and other students in a multitude of ways. I started as a work study in September of this year, and it has helped me greatly. I worked over the summer at a retail store and worked into August when school first started. That job became grating, and I knew that it would be near impossible to work there and focus on schooling. I was ecstatic when I started working at Casper College and that feeling continues. Being a work study is a really rewarding experience, as I can help fellow students and keep up with my schooling. Working at the IT Helpdesk lets me assist students in their needs and has allowed me to feel part of my community, which is something I never felt in high school. My job has been very essential to the success of my first semester in college. In addition to the experience itself being rewarding, it also alleviates the stress of tuition while being a pretty stress-free environment itself. I know several people who work at Casper College share similar sentiments. Kyler Stocks told me on countless occasions how much he enjoys his job as a tutor and his other responsibilities. Stocks works with the ACE program (academics, community, and enrichment) and a lot of his day is spent helping middle school and high school students with homework, his specialty being math. Stock also added that his place of work is a fun hang out spot for students as well and his favorite part of his day is interacting with students. Ben Petersen, who works at the pre-school, spends time keeping children safe and interacting with them. He often asks how their day has been and has fun with them on the playground. Petersen also helps take care of babies and puts them to sleep. The work study program has also led to full-time positions on campus. When I spoke to Shelby Garner for a profile, she discussed how being a work study opened up the door for her to become a financial aid counselor. Garner says starting as a work study first gave her a different perspective from other counselors; it allows her to see it from both the point of view of the student and from her own point of view as the counselor. In fact, Garner now manages the federal work study budget. There are a wide variety of work study positions on campus. While the jobs are sometimes difficult to look for, they are a unique opportunity and provide great benefit to students and the community. If interested, visit the Casper College website for more information or ask Casper College faculty or staff if there are openings in a field of interest. Christmas time is here, happiness and cheer If you’re like me, you love Christmas. I wait all year for the season to come back into full force. The houses are decorated, the music is playing, the lights are strung up around town, and the stores have had their Christmas decorations out since Halloween. I absolutely love it. However, not everyone does, and this time of the year can be very difficult for many Americans. Whether that be stress, financial hardships, or losing a loved one, this time of year may not be full of happiness and cheer. According to an article at choosingtherapy.com, over “14% of Americans experience the winter blues.” With that in mind, the article also states that “69% of people feel stressed by either their ‘lack of time’ or ‘lack of money’ when it comes to the holidays. In addition, over half feel worried about the pressure to give or receive gifts.” For example, parents with children who are hopeful that Santa is bringing the toy they wished for, the parent may be hopeful they can pay the bills for the month, along with making their kids wish come true. This all leads into a season of depression, -rather than a season of joy. When around these individuals who are experiencing pain and stress, it’s hard for me. As the Christmas freak I am, it’s difficult to understand why they are so crabby or why they don’t want to go look at the Christmas lights, or why in the world is their house not decked out to the max with bells of holly? Beauty everywhere, yuletide by the fireside, and joyful memories there. So, what can we do to help those individuals find the beauty? What can we do so that they can make new memories, while remembering any joyful memories they once had? Well, for starters we can remind them to think of all the happy memories that filled their lives in years past. We can encourage them to create their own, new, happy traditions. We can talk to them about volunteering their time for a charity around the holidays, and they may even find someone they can connect with. The final December 2022 CHINOOK “ too easy to become fixated on a single aspect of our lives, and thus unintentionally neglect other, equally important, aspects. So please don’t become sidetracked by hustle and bustle of the holidays, and fall out-ofbalance. The second topic is similar to the first, except emphasized from a slightly different angle; namely emotional health. You likely already know the holidays can be a challenging time as many people struggle with increased anxiety or depression. Adding the extra burden of believing everyone should be happy this time of year can make everything seem even worse. Whether this scenario describes you personally, or you have a friend or loved one who struggles with some of these challenges, please take extra care this year to watch for signs of emotional distress. There are many resources at the College, the county, and the state to help anyone having a tough time. Also know you can reach out anytime to any member of our staff, and ask for assistance, and we will put you in touch with trained professionals who can help you or a loved one sort things out and get back to a healthier and happier emotional state. Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season… Please be sure to take care of yourself over the winter break by enjoying the weather, embracing the holiday season, spending time with your friends and family, or engaging in any activity that brings you peace and happiness. — Darren Divine, Ph.D., Casper College President Pass the honey Bailey Menzel Hush, Hush Have you ever dealt with a boss, coach or perhaps maybe even a coworker that was always in a bad mood, or perhaps they were the type to belittle you and lash out at you instead of offering constructive criticism? I’m sure everyone has experienced this at least once in their life. And no doubt, those interactions affected your daily emotional state, and while you probably carried it home inevitably complaining to your friends about it later. Now, in environments like these it is normal to try to face the problem head on, find Kaylee Davis Deets with Davis thing we can do is remind them that if they aren’t ready for all the Christmas “magic” then it’s okay. They don’t have to attend every party or watch every movie if they feel uncomfortable. The main thing is that they know we are there for them. Christmas time is here, happiness and cheer… Well maybe this year, we can all be our merry cheery selves while also thinking about how we can help those around us feel or find their own joy, whether that be from the season or just life in general. So, let’s all try and be the merriest bunch of Christmas freaks we can; while remembering that maybe not everyone is having the happ happ happiest Christmas. But it’s our job to try and spread our cheer to them along the way whenever the time feels right. a new job, tell your HR rep, join a new team, etc.. But what do you do when the person exhibiting these behaviors is an educator, someone that you are paying for the privilege to listen to and learn from? Where do you draw the line of what is and isn't acceptable? What kind of environment is expected for a college class? Where do we give instructors credence because they are humans too, and where do we see the line of professionalism crossed? After all, we are paying for an education, we should have a steadfast environment to receive it in. After completing a certain general education requirement last semester, I came upon an interesting realization -- , It would've been a more enriching experience had another teacher not treated me the way they did. And in that realization, it was clear that a lot of other students felt the same way. The entire mood of the room would be different on the days that the certain instructor was present. Anyone could see the way the mannerisms of the students would change whenever the certain instructor was near. I even had one girl state to me, “If they’re having a bad day, we will be too.” What kind of a learning environment is that? Is that really what these students are paying for? The troubling part is, in my own experience this teacher only covered my class a few times. It wasn't someone that I was even personally taking classes from. But, it only took those few times for me to understand the depth of what everyone was talking about. I began to see what others meant by small belittling comments and mannerisms that don’t inspire confidence in students. In all of my years of adult life, I have never had an educator speak to me in the manner they did. It almost made me laugh. And as this person is a very prominent instructor in the department, so I saw them very frequently. I also had classes with majors in their department who were not shy about describing their treatment from this instructor either. Is this really the best we can do? As students, what is the best course of action? Do we let someone belittle us and make us dread showing up for the education that we ultimately are paying for? Or is there a way for us all to collectively check our egos at the door and try to do better all together? In the end it seems like we all just want a pleasant learning environment, and we strive for acceptance and belonging. It is easy to feel like you don't want to belong though when someone is so unpleasant in their demeanor every day. I guess it all goes back to that old saying, “ You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.” For now, I guess it's better to keep our opinions Hush, Hush. �December 2022 Page 3 CHINOOK Apartments............................................ said “it took myself and my two sisters and mom over three hours to clean the apartment so I could bring in my stuff.” In terms of cleaning, several apartments had walls that were covered in stains and other substances, floors that had stains, and kitchens that had minimal cleaning prior to moving in. Maddy Henry said upon move-in, she had to deep clean the entire kitchen, remove the stove top burners as they still had leftover food and rust inside of them. She also said that “the washer had mold growing in it, so I ran the machine at least three time on the cleaning setting with Clorox laundry sanitizer, and then had to scrub it again by hand.” Maddy said it took her around five hours to clean the main parts of the apartment, as well as the bathroom and shower. They both also had to clean and, in some cases, take a mop to their walls to clean off food, stains, and more. One room still had food on the walls and cabinets in the kitchen and leftover food in the refrigerator. Other rooms had several things that were broken, such as the washing machine which took weeks to get someone in to fix, hinges hanging off of doors that have had work orders put in but never fixed, doors that won’t lock, and more. There were several others whose room wasn’t as bad as those who were interviewed, however several I asked had issues with their room that should have been fixed before. However, this isn’t the case for every apartment, as there were others that were completely move-in ready and had everything cleaned and some had new appliances. Aspyn Green, who lives on the first floor, said that “her room was move-in ready and required little to no cleaning prior to move in.” Could it be that several kids just had the unlucky draw of a room? Or, is this something that maintenance and others should look into? Davidson Visual Arts............................................ students. The old building was kind of dingy, but this one’s a lot more bright and open. My favorite part of this building is that it’s open until 12 a.m.” Students and instructors are excited now that construction on the new building has seen major progress this year, but this project endured its share of bumps in the road, and while the building was supposed to be finished by the beginning of the year, it is still not completely done. The unexpected delay in the construction of the building meant the classes that would’ve been in the new building had to be spread out across campus. “We were all displaced all over campus because of the delay,” Harrison said. “It was a little bit confusing for the students because at the last minute we had to find different locations for their classes across campus.” Luckily Casper College worked out a way for all of the classes to proceed in different locations temporarily, except for the film photography class. “I couldn’t teach film photography because we have to have a dark room,” Bush explained. “We have to have the space. We have to have ventilation. It has to be pitch black, (and) it has to have red lighting. That stuff just wasn’t possible -- it wasn’t feasible to make a temporary space for that.” While most of the classes are now held in the new building, there are still some students who haven’t taken art classes in the new building because of the delays. Geology, GIS and digital photography major Shawn Condelario is one student who felt the negative impact of the delays. Condelario’s digital photography II class was supposed to be in the new Visual Arts building, but the class is still temporarily held in Liesinger Hall. “Originally we were told it’ll be ready at the beginning of this school year, then it’ll be ready at mid-term– as of yesterday, it’s still not ready and it’s probably not going to be ready this entire semester,” he said. “Our [digital photography] class keeps getting moved to wherever there’s an open spot.” Condelario is excited for the new building to be finished and said he is looking forward to having his photography classes in it once it is “up and fully operational.” Since the photography studio is not fully complete, Condelario said he had to set up a makeshift studio in his living room. He noted that he is lucky to have that living room space to set something up because he can’t imagine the students making do in their dorm rooms. “We have a new studio space, and it’s a wonderful space, but I have only been able to use it one time this semester– and when I did use it, we had construction workers coming in and out,” Condelario explained. Despite the delays, students and instructors are excited to see the construction of the new Visual Arts Center nearing the finish line and hope this building will benefit current and future Casper College students. “I’m even looking forward to retiring and being able to come in and use this space as a student instead of just as an instructor,” Olsen said. CC students practice the art of 'talking' Siera Quinn/Chinook Writerr Pictured above is the Casper welcome statue along Wyoming Blvd in Casper Wyoming. continued from page 1 stated that many of the rooms that need to be fixed or are dirty, “they are unaware of any of the issues.” So, it could be a case of information that wasn’t properly passed along. Whatever the case may be, the hope is that future residents of Wheeler Terrace will never be disappointed or disgusted upon opening their door for the first time. continued from page 1 Lucy Jane Crimm/Chinook Above, Stoner Lawn and Landscape places a statue outside the Visual Arts Center. Shown to the left is the sitting area visitors will see upon entering the new building. Sierra Quinn Chinook Writer Kaylynn Mack arrives on campus for today's lesson. She is a class instructor for the Continuing Education program at Casper College. As an instructor, she has the opportunity to interact with students from varying levels of society; today is no different. Kaylynn chats with a 77-year-old student of hers. The older gentleman expresses his frustration and confusion after a woman became angry after he positively commented on her appearance. Recognizing the generation gap, she explained to him the feminist status quo and the stand against female objectification. He was in genuine shock at the revelations. Relieved to have his confusion cleared, he thanked her. Exchanges like this show us how listening to understand promotes civil discourse in the Casper community. Casper College students take part in Living Room Conversations that prepare them for civil discourse in the community. “I think it is very important to give everybody the benefit of the doubt and refrain from jumping down their throats. Not everybody has access to the internet and is in the know and such.” said Mack on her approach to challenging conversations. Evidence of the nation's lacking civil discourse skills and social upsets reported in the news media lead Cara Rodriguez, a long time English instructor, to act. She “scrapped” her composition lesson plans and said, “we are going to learn how to talk to people,” and began hosting Living Room Conversations in her classroom a few years ago. “I think listening to somebody is the best gift you can give them.” according to Rodriguez as she described student benefits since beginning her new lesson plan. She said many students uncover they were not really listening prior to taking part in a Living Room Conversation in her class. Listening to understand versus listening while forming a rebuttal, that is. Rodriguez explains that by listening, students form new perspectives after connecting individual life experiences to the opinions they form, creating a connection in the process. There have been some special moments inside of my class where students are like, ‘I had no idea that was real or that was an experience that someone actually had.’ It has been really cool.” said Rodriguez. Not all of Rodriguez’s students welcome her classroom Living Room Conversations, “Some people put up a wall and it is a real bummer to me.” she said. Like outside the classroom, not everyone feels comfortable publicly taking part in difficult conversations. In September, the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences held a “Living Room Chats Across Our Campus” event as part of their annual seminar. The event was an opportunity for students to engage in difficult conversations, in a controlled environment, while supporting mutual respect for the parties involved. The event topic and conversation guide were provided by Living Room Conversations, a website that promotes guided conversation with a diverse group of individuals to connect people within communities. “A conversation is going to be free flowing. But putting guidelines on how we keep it civil, appropriate, and safe for everybody and practicing that, those guidelines just kind of become your new natural.” said Amanda Nelson, a Casper College paralegal instructor. She said participants of Living Room Conversations become “better conversationalists”. And college students need this practice. Sixty percent of college students aged 18 to 24 report reluctance to engage in one or more controversial topics, according to a 2022 study, “Campus Survey Expression”, published by Heterodox Academy, a nonpartisan nonprofit group. Worse, fifty-six percent of reluctant students cite fear of peer criticism as a motive to avoid controversial topics. “Acting out of fear versus finding a way to unify just drives us further apart,” said Rodriguez when discussing the negative impact on communities that “do not allow for civil discourse”. People should not be fooled by divisive news headlines. Instead, they should seek difficult conversations with community members. A conversation of listening and learning, encouraging civil discourse and recognition of the people behind the story. Disagreement does not have to equal disrespect in the Casper community. Living Room Conversations is a nonprofit organization trying to connect people, regardless of opinions and differences, through listening and understanding. Their website provides topics and a conversation guide, along with rules to enable a diverse group to respectfully engage in open dialogue. To host a Living Room Conversation or to learn more visit livingroomconversations.org. www.caspercollege.edu/chinook �Page 4 CHINOOK December 2022 That One Unforgetteable Coworker Sierra Quinn Chinook Writer Kathy Quinn sat eating her lunch in Tobin Dining Hall while trading wise cracks with coworkers through the cafeteria hum. In-between jokes, she told the story of how she moved to Casper 38 years ago from Iowa. She said she moved to help babysit her nieces and nephews when her brother-in-law accepted a job in Wyoming. When asked if that was an easy decision, Quinn quickly replied, “No question about it.” with conviction in her voice. For Quinn, caring for others and making people laugh is second nature. In the 38 years since her move to Casper, Quinn continues to impact the lives of those near. Whether it is a laugh, advice, or help, she delivers on all three. In her nine years working at Casper College as a custodian, she has become a memorable personality across campus, even though she refuses to admit it. “It was always a great time to see Kathy. She always made an effort to stop in to say hi, raid my candy bowl, and just see what else she could do to help,” said Julie Hansen, the School of Science academic assistant. Quinn worked in the Wold Physical Science building four years ago where she and Hansen first crossed paths. Quinn boasted the claim that she, “fooled” the college’s administration into believing they have had a “good employee” for the last nine years “shhh” she whispered. Hansen said, Quinn’s “dry sense of humor” is what makes her special, that and making others feel important. Hansen said she misses working with Quinn, who now works in the Strausner Hall building. “She is the one that would go out and she would scatter salt by our cars, so we did not slip getting into our cars,” said Hansen, adding that Quinn memorized staff vehicles at the PS building. Quinn stayed humble, jokingly disregarding her act of kindness as nothing special. She said, all she ever did in the PS building was, “eat all their candy and free food.” But what Quinn admits about herself, and what her coworkers have to say about her never quite matches up. Yolanda Isaldo, a custodian in the Gertrude Krampert Center for Theatre and Dance, described Quinn as someone who is always giving to her church and community. Isaldo said Quinn makes her feel “important,” which positively impacts her workday. “She is like a mentor to me. She guides me and lectures me when I am not doing what I am supposed to be doing, especially with school,” said Isaldo. Quinn attributes her characteristics to her grandmother and father, who were important influences in her life. Quinn said she now lives by a motto of “always be humble and kind.” “Okay, I try really, really hard to. Sometimes I hit a pothole here and there.” she admitted while shrugging her shoulders. While many coworkers have enjoyed Quinn's genuine shenanigans, retirement for her is looming. She laughed at the topic, saying she has no plans to become a relic like William (Bill) Jensen, who retired at 86 years young from Casper College as a custodian in 2020, according to Quinn. When asked where she planned to be in five years if not at Casper College, she said with a serious face, “On a beach. In a bikini.” Quinn said she hopes to move with her husband after her retirement, to some place where shoveling snow is unnecessary. “I am going to be a snowbird. I am going south, and I am not coming back,” said Quinn. Wherever her adventures lead her after retirement, Quinn will take with her the humor and kindness she is known for here at CC. When Quinn was asked to pose for Sierra Quinn/Chinook a photo, she straddled her broom like a Kathy Quinn, pictured here at work in Strausner Hall, poses witch, turned her head back and asked, for a photo, entertaining coworkers. “Like this?” www.caspercollege.edu/chinook �December 2022 Page 5 CHINOOK Mysterious PTK Invitation Solved Sierra Quinn Chinook Writer From top left Margaret Biskup, Caroline Hansen, and Erica Pasley. From bottom left Noelle Romer, Jacob Klaudt, Jade Hefenieder. Sierra Quinn/Chinook Eligible students receive a mysterious correspondence at the beginning of each semester to join Zeta Alpha Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, triggering curiosity about what the campus organization represents from students every semester here at Casper College. “People think being part of honor society means learning more boring stuff,” said Noelle Romer, President of Zeta Alpha Chapter.. Core officers of the Zeta Alpha Chapter at CC demystify what the organization does, share potential membership benefits, and explore a common misconception to aid students receiving a Phi Theta Kappa invitation. Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society is an internationally recognized college honor society that participates in research and community service projects yearly with several key membership benefits. This fall, the Zeta Alpha Chapter is researching the biological drive behind “play” as part of their annual Phi Theta Kappa Honors in Actions research project, according to Romer. Romer also said the club will also organize a community impact service project this upcoming spring, similar to last spring’s CC Cares Day event. Other club operations include organizing service awards for staff and smallerscale projects, said Romer. Invitations to join PTK. are extended to CC students who have completed 12 credit hours and a minimum G.P.A of 3.5 said Romer. The Zeta Alpha Chapter was established at Casper College in 1946 and the advisors for the club are Casper College instructors, Jared Bowden and Teresa Strickland. Students also weigh whether or not to accept the invitation to PTK. Romer expressed that joining the Zeta Alpha Chapter enables student members to experience community, engage in networking, and connect with volunteer opportunities and gain access to additional scholarships. Such benefits are generally conducive to academic student success, which carries over into professional careers. Additionally, chapter officers like Romer gain beneficial leadership and research skills, among other professional competencies in their unique roles. “If they (students) are worried about it taking up their time, it won't,” explained, Vice President of Fellowship, Jade Hefenieder. A common misconception among the student body is that membership participation in an honor society is an intense experience. Hefenieder said she wants prospective members to know that participation within Zeta Alpha is low-pressure, with minimal time commitment, while still reaping many membership benefits. Romer described the optional club meetings. “Members meet once a month and it is a time to socialize, talk about upcoming projects, play games, and discuss volunteer opportunities,” said Romer. The case of the mysterious PTK invite is now solved . If students wonder if PTK is right for them, Romer shared a final thought. She said, “Honor students are of all shapes, sizes, and personalities. We have a really cool mix of people you wouldn't expect to see and I love the diversity.” To learn more about the Zeta Alpha Chapter, contact Noelle Romer at noelle.romer@mycc. caspercollege.edu or Jade Hefenieder at jade.hefenieder@mycc. caspercollge.edu. Making a difference through Student Senate Kaylee Davis Chinook Contributor “If you really want to make a difference, the only way is to be a part of the committees running things” says McKinley Kessler, public relations officer for Student Senate. This club is a great way for you to become involved in your school, become a representative of your school department, while meeting new people. Kassidy Brooks stated why she applied for Senate. “With my major, I am always around similar people with similar ideas and interests, with senate, I am able to meet new people from a variety of schools and their representatives that are associated with the club.” Student Senate meets every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., with Devin Fulton being the club’s advisor. Kassidy, who is the Vice President, said that Fulton is an energetic, fun guy who lets the members run the meeting and allows them to voice their opinion on things. While being in Student Senate allows you to be in the know about the going-on’s in the school, you can develop leadership skills, while putting your creative side to use by planning events for the students here at Casper. One of the most popular events was the Casino Night in the spring, and since it was such a hit, they’re bringing it back this winter! If you choose to run for Student Senate, applications are sent out in the spring for upcoming sophomores to apply to. McKinley said the process to apply was quite easy, she “submitted my name, wrote up a personal biography, and while I didn’t campaign, my boyfriend, Colter, bless him, got the word out that I was running for an office.” As for new Freshman, they are newly elected to their offices, which are representatives for their school, whether that be the School Of Science, the School of Business and Industry or they can be an elected Freshman Representative. This year there were five newly elected officers to round out Student Senate. If you are interested in running, there are typically eight office spots to fill up once elections start. If you are a media/communications major, you may find that being a Public Relations officer is beneficial, as they talk to the student body, explain what is going on in the Senate and use this information to create media projects that promote the Student Senate and the events and activities happening on campus. If you enjoy assuming leadership roles while being very organized, you may enjoy running for Vice president. Brooks said her position is more than just leading the meetings when the President is gone. She also “has to oversee all of the Casper College’s clubs, record their membership, see who is president of each club, as well as make sure that each club is abiding by the rule set by the college for what they are supposed to be doing.” Have any questions about applying for Student Senate, or any of the positions? You can find Brooks in the Werner Ag Pavilion while Kessler on several days a week is working the school’s food pantry! You can contact advisor, Photo Courtesy of Kaylee Davis Devin Fulton at devin.fulton@caspercollege. The Student Senate at Casper College gathered for a recent meeting on campus. The organization meets every Wednesday evening during semester. edu, or you reach him at 307-268-2638. Garner connects through financial aid office Jonathan Togstad Chinook Contributor Submitted Photo Shelby Garner posed for a photo. Garner works in the Casper College financial aid office. A college campus involves many moving parts, and Casper College is no different. Students often lose sight of the other departments on campus besides the ones they interact with on a daily basis. Enrollment services, the Goodstein library, the financial aid office, and many others are necessary for a functioning college. While it may feel like those departments are in the background, financial aid counselor Shelby Garner puts a face to her office on campus. Garner worked at OfficeMax for about six years until she realized she needed a change, so she came to CC as a work study in the financial aid department in 2011. When asked what her first impression was of Garner, Hathaway and Scholarship Specialist Anna Miller said, “Oh I loved Shelby. I could tell she was a kind soul to begin with and a very caring person.” Working as a work study, she then transitioned into a full time role as a Financial Aid Counselor. Garner said that she traditionally sees herself as an introvert, but “blossomed” and gained a lot of confidence from helping students and going to the summer financial aid institute. The institute is a week-long event that assists newcomers in learning the ins and outs of financial aid. Last year she even taught a course at the event. Garner’s day to day duties involves consoling students on their financial troubles and aid students in applying for the FAFSA. Garner described her relationship with students by saying, “I find a lot of fulfillment in the consoling aspect… as you see on my door I’ve got a sign that says you’re the most important part of my day. I really try to foster that with my students because sometimes we are the only people they get a chance to talk to.” In order to really connect with students Garner said that she uses her own college experiences as examples for struggling students. When she went to college, she said she changed her major “three or four different times” in her first two years. She let others push her in directions that weren’t the right fit for her and it took a long time before she finally found her calling. Garner added that she even dropped out all together for five years before returning. Garner said part of the reason for her struggles was feeling like she had nobody to talk to on campus, “it made it really difficult for me to choose my path.” Garner said Garner detailed that she received a teary-eyed phone call from a student in a similar situation to the one she found herself in years ago. She wants to be that listening ear that she herself needed when she was going through the trials and tribulations of college life. “It humbles you,'' Garner said. “...that a student trusts you with this information.” However, her job is not done without any difficulty. Miller said that Garner works a tough job balancing assisting students with the often black and white federal regulations. She dubbed the financial aid office from the students’ perspectives as “the office of no.” She also mentioned that the office can get stressful, especially when it comes to the start of the fall semester. “We always joke in our office that our brains forget August every year and how stressful it is,” Garner said. The department always receives last minute FAFSA submissions, and it can often become difficult trying to figure out what’s the top priority for the day. In addition to her work in financial aid consoling, Garner also takes on other responsibilities at CC. Garner works with the state program GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) that often targets underprivileged students and assists them when it comes to paying for college. Garner said that many students with lower income are stuck in “survival mode” and think that college is not a reality for them, and the program tries to take students out of that mindset. Miller who also collaborates on the program says that they even start talking to as young as middle school. “It's never too early to start thinking about what's after high school,” Miller said. Garner’s other duties include man- aging the school’s work study budget and planning financial aid events that take place all around campus. She said events help destigmatize the “office of no” title and add some humanity to the often stressful and bureaucratic process of acquiring federal student aid. Garner also serves as an advisor for the NSLS (the National Society of Leadership and Success) and talked about how her group went to Sam’s Club to buy food for the student food pantry located in the Union Building. She describes herself as a “jack of all trades in a lot of ways.” Garner has a large and sweeping impact on Casper College and will continue to do so for years to come. She juggles many responsibilities even outside her day to day work duties and makes an effort to build meaningful connections with students. Her contributions to on campus events and even working with students off campus reflects such connections. Miller said of Garner, “She somehow magically bridges that gap where the student always leaves her office feeling confident, more knowledgeable, (and) less stressed. She has the magic gift that I do admire about her.” If a student is needing to meet with Shelby Garner, Anna Miller or other faculty, the financial aid department is on the third floor of the Gateway Building. �Page 6 December 2022 CHINOOK Basketball season underway Evan Eathorne Chinook Writer The highly anticipated men’s and women’s basketball seasons started at the beginning of November and are well underway. Both teams are looking for a chance to make a run to the national tournament this season. Although the games didn’t begin until early November, Men’s Basketball Head Coach Shaun Gutting said the team hit the gym two weeks before the start of the semester in August. According to freshman Tyler Pacheco, “Before the season began, we were playing pickup games, weight training four times a week–, we had position workouts, and (we) practiced Monday through Saturday.” The work paved the way for the team to have excellent chemistry, friendships on and off, and maximize each play- er’s strengths when the season finally came around. “I bring shooting, hustle plays and energy when we need it,” Pacheco said. As someone that is used to leading the team like he did at Kelly Walsh High School in Casper, Pacheco still found a spot early on in his career on a crowded T-birds team, and he is living out his life-long goal of playing college basketball. The men’s basketball team gets a lot of hype at CC, and they are looking worthy of that hype so far this season, per the team’s 10-3 record. The men have endured a fairly difficult schedule to start the season, as they have already faced off against the #1 team in the country with Indian Hills Community College. Although the T-birds lost 94-69, the team fought hard against the best competition at this level. They continue their season and quest for nationals this weekend in a matchup against Trinidad State College. Equally important is the Lady T-birds season. After returning many players from last year and adding some solid Freshman talent such as Logann Alvar, the team is looking to get back to the national tournament in Lubbock, Texas. This offseason, the woman started with skill work, conditioning, and 5-on-5 in order to get back up to speed. So far, the team boasts a record of 11-1, with the only loss coming to Salt Lake Community College in a close 96-92 overtime game. Women’s Basketball Head Coach Dwight Gunnare and freshman guard Alvar stated that the team’s strengths are its fast break offense and depth on the bench that can do a little bit of everything. “They put out a great effort everyday,” said Gunnare. The team has good guards in Alvar, Julia Polamo, and Joslin Igo that can get hot CC fall sports recap quickly with their shooting as well as players on the inside that can fight it out for some boards. When talking to the Coach, I could tell he was excited to see these girls battle this year, have some success, and get some recognition. Gunnare’s passion for coaching the game shone through when he said, “I love sports and it was a way to stay involved. Do what you love. You might not get rich from it but you’ll enjoy it.” The same passion seems to pass into his teams when they play. In fact, even new players feel it. “I love it! It’s hard work but I’ve enjoyed it so much. I really feel blessed to be a part of this team and this program,” said Alvar. If they can continue having fun and playing how they’ve been, they truly have as good a shot as anyone in the region to Evan Eathorne/Chinook make some noise and get into Tyler Pacheco takes two shots at the free throw line in a game the National Tournament. against Impact Academy from Las Vegas on November 19. Evan Eathorne Chinook Writer As fall of 2022 turns to winter, another season of Thunder-bird soccer and volleyball with it. Casper College’s Men’s Soccer Team finished a rather strong a rather strong season, with a record of 14-3-2 (6-1-1 in conference play). The team flew all the way to the Region IX semi-final where it played against Laramie County Community College in a heartbreaking double-overtime tie game. Many of the players come from countries such as Europe, Asia, and Australia.The team also included some talented in-state freshmen on the pitch this year, including the likes of Hayden Hollinger, Cayden Allaire, and Cole Venable. Venable, a Wyoming native from Worland, won the Region IX Freshman of the Year honors after scoring nine goals this season. The Lady T-bird soccer team also experienced some success this season, posting a 10-4-2 record. Unfortunately, the team was bounced out in the first round of the postseason in the same fashion as the men, a 1-1 tie to LCCC. On the court, Lady T-bird volleyball started off its season in Iowa with a tough tournament match against Indian Hills Community College on August 19, where they lost 2-3. The tournament marked the start of a hard-fought season, “We played one of the toughest schedules that we have ever had”, said Coach Sharman, “In our first tournament we played all the top seeds and were right there with them.” Following the tournament, there was a shift in the girls’ play because, like anything, confidence is key, and players began to lose theirs. The team ended the season with a record of 7-28. While the team may have endured a tough season, some good came to the players too. According to Sharman, the women finished the year playing some of their best team ball. Sharman spoke to the team’s strengths. She said, "We served aggressively this year and took some teams out of rhythm and that helped us defensively setting up what we wanted to do." Photo Courtesy of Edwin Gonzalez Katarina Vulic sets the ball to Paulina Dziedzic in a recent game at Casper College. No wheels on campus Bailey Menzel Chinook Writer Picture this, it’s a cold day in Casper, the kind of cold that freezes your nostrils and makes your breath short, you have just gotten done with your first class of the day and you’re due for another class in ten minutes, you now have to walk through the icy wind for half a mile to get to your next building, you could take your vehicle if you have one, but there is guarantee you will find parking in enough time, if only you could ride your scooter to the next building and be there on time, but the policies on campus have forbidden you from doing so. At Casper College the campus policies are very clear, absolutely no skateboards, scooters, or longboards allowed to be ridden on campus, that means a long walk for some students, while others may not notice at all, this may seem like an arbitrary or prejudiced rule, but at its core the policy is in place as a matter of safety. Being a campus that con- sists of 28 different buildings and over 200 acres of land, it is understandable that some students would desire a faster mode of transportation, aside from walking or driving since the parking is also scarce in the more congested areas of campus. Therein lies the need for another mode of movement, students who bicycle have the advantage of being able to ride nearly up to the door, so many wish to be able to ride their skateboard or scooter to try to speed up the time spent outside, or time spent traveling across campus. Second year Computer Science Major Damian Moore, who is an avid sportsman, has many opinions pertaining to the subject, Moore believes that being able to ride his longboard on campus would make his life exponentially easier stating that “Ten minute periods between classes can be very short, especially if you need to talk to your teacher before you move on, so many times I was late to my classes even though I was hustling to get there, a longboard would’ve cut my time in half,” A thought that has no doubt crossed many students’ minds as they were running to make it inside no doubt. Although Moore only has one semester left to attend on campus, he still looks forward to more discussion on the subject in the future. Though the campus is large and the weather can be brutal, the policy isn’t in place just to make students’ lives harder, it actually comes from the layout of how the campus is arranged. In his corner office located towards the back of Strausner Hall, Head of Security John Becker, when asked why the policy is actually in place, stated that “the campus was not built to accommodate skateboards and things of that nature, the roadways are far too narrow,” a safety hazard that truly is unavoidable. Becker then went on to say that perhaps if we had wider streets or more of an area for skateboards on the sidewalk it wouldn’t be an issue at all, it is far from campus security to wish any more time in the cold Bailey Menzel/Chinook Pictured above is one of the bike racks on campus offered for students to house their equipment between classes outside of Liesigner Hall on the students than absolutely necessary. Also to be noted, Campus Security has no problem with the idea of wheels on campus, however it is just not realistic with the layout of our streets. Even though it seems like a minor inconvenience, the is- sue of a large campus and limited options for movement on wheels is still prevalent, but the policy will remain in place to limit the use of wheels on campus until there is more space for riding and less of an issue due to safety. For now, it looks like things will stay the way they are, even though the campus security has no personal bias against the use of certain wheels on campus, students will just have to walk, make sure they bundle up to combat the cold, and manage their time between classes as best they can. 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 �December 2022 Page 7 CHINOOK Hathaway's Impact Diversity and Inclusion Committee at CC Photo Courtesy of Benjamin Petersen Pictured left is Benjamin Petersen, a cyber security major at Casper College. He described how the Hathaway Scholarship impacted him. He earned the scholarship during his time at Kelly Walsh High School and has been utlizing the scholarship to its fullest potential at Casper College. Submitted Photo This year's Diversity and Inclusion Committee gathered for a photo recently, The group meets monthly. Jonathan Togstad Chinook Writer The Hathaway scholarship has been a prominent factor in the academic careers of both Wyoming high school and college students for over a decade. Students that attended a Wyoming school from 2005 and beyond are almost guaranteed to have heard of the Hathaway scholarship. The scholarship greatly benefits the cowboy state and has allowed many students to attend college than would have otherwise. Anna Miller, the Hathaway and scholarship specialist at Casper College detailed the origin of the scholarship. She said the scholarship got its name from the governor in the 1970s, Stanley Hathaway. He created the mineral trust fund, with the purpose of allowing more Wyoming high school students to achieve higher education. When asked how the scholarship impacts students in the community, Miller said that it helps motivate students as they know if they work hard they will gain free money for college. When discussing some of the requirements for the scholarship, Miller talked about how career and technical education courses impact students, ”...they can do four years under one of those umbrellas where they really may find their niche which will help them once they move on to higher education go onto a field they know they want to be in”. Evan Knifer, a current student at Kelly Walsh high school, admitted he did not know much about the Hathaway scholarship but would like to know more. “I’m not all that familiar with it, but it would be good to know more about it, so I can get free money for college.” Knifer said. Knifer went on to say that he will now be pursuing the scholarship knowing the benefits and opportunities it affords students. Ben Petersen, a Casper College student, how the Hathaway has impacted his education. He said the scholarship influenced his career because the coursework required to earn the Hathaway required him to take a “wider range of classes, so I was more familiar with a lot of different things”. He said that the BOCES classes, college level courses that can be taken in high school, offered by the scholarship allowed for a good kick-starter to college academics. When asked if he would be as successful at Casper College without Hathaway he said, “probably not… it would be a lot less enjoyable overall”. The Hathaway scholarship has been positively influencing Wyoming students’ lives since the first award season in 2005. For more information on the scholarship, contact Anna Miller or visit the Hathaway scholarship website. Jonathan Togstad Chinook Writer While there are many clubs and organizations on campus at Casper College, not many are as unique as the Diversity and Inclusion committee. The group, partly run by teacher and group organizer Kristina Pham, is mainly focused with the LGBTQ+ community on campus. The group has done things such as trying to include statements on the importance of pronouns in class syllabi and even creating maps to single use restrooms, so students can feel more comfortable. Their work has seemingly paid off according to a survey done through the student senate. Pham stated that she was pleasantly surprised that many students felt that the diversity and inclusion was good on campus, in addition she said that she believed that the pronoun statements in the syllabi were a main factor. She went on to say, “It often feels like the small things don’t make a difference, but I think the small things do make a difference.” Since 2016 and 2017, the group has mainly been focused on LGBTQ+ issues on campus but would like to expand out to socioeconomic issues; the group is currently working on programming relating to healthy meals on a budget. Pham says students who wanted to participate in diversity and inclusion on campus would not only be welcome but also very appreciated. They have yet to find luck with getting students as long term members, “I try really hard to get student members…they'll show up to maybe one or two meetings, and then we never see them again”. The organization would love student feedback on current and new programs, “who would know better than the students what the students need?” Pham said students who have “a little bit of social activism, social justice in their blood” and have an issue that they’d like to have discussed should go to a meeting. The Diversity and Inclusion Committee meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 2 p.m. SPRING 2023 TOBIN DINING HALL IS PROVIDING AN ALL-YOU-CARE-TO-EAT SERVICE FOR BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER. YOUR BLOCK MEAL PLAN GIVES YOU ULTIMATE FLEXIBILITY AT TOBIN DINING HALL! ONE MEAL PLAN BLOCK SWIPE @CASPERCOLLEGEDINING = ONE PASS TO TOBIN DINING HALL CASPERDINING.SODEXOMYWAY.COM �Page 8 December 2022 CHINOOK Non-trads more motivated than traditional? Bailey Menzel Chinook Writer Photo courtesy of Tabbitha May Pictured above is Tabbitha May, a returning non traditional student completing her masters and re-taking a class at Casper College to earn a better grade. Casper College’s Student According to most standard rules and regulations set by Casper College, a traditional aged student is typically between the ages of 18 and 23 years and pursues college right after graduating from high school. Nontraditional students tend to be older than 24 years in age or have taken time off from education. So with those broad strokes of definition, what do non-traditional students have in common? Non-traditional students on campus believe they share a determination that might be unmatched by more formal, or traditional students. The student body of Casper College is known for many things across the city, none more so than its collection of non-traditional students; while they have no formal meeting place or group email chain, the non traditional or returning students on campus add to the culture of the student body in more ways than one, starting with a higher level of determination than the average student. According to Suzi Sanford, a non-traditional student enrolled in a double major for Spanish and Paralegal Studies says that things are different for her this time around taking classes, stating that “the technology is so much different this time around, I can afford more resources and i have more options for my style of learning, weather it’s online or lecture.” This is something that may be lost on traditional students as they have never seen a class environment any other way. While traditional students aren't exactly unmotivated, they might not have the same amount at stake for motivation to pass their classes as a nontraditional student, another non traditional student on campus Tabbitha May who is pursuing her masters, is only here to retake a class that she received a poor grade on while taking her freshman courses years ago. When asked, what is different this time around taking classes she stated, “Motivation is the biggest factor, I want to go onto better things and be done with all this, and the first time around I just really didn't care.” No one campus group is a complete description of the student body as a whole, but it seems non-traditional students on campus share a feeling of overall difference in motivation, the second time around. Not to say traditional students aren't motivated, the motivation is just different. Struggling with mental health? Here’s what to do Lucy Jane Crimm Chinook Writer Becoming a college student comes with many sizable life changes– moving away from home and family and friends while also making new friends, learning time management and adjusting to new found independence. Along with these changes can come new negative mental side effects. Navigating new or increased mental health issues can feel like a whole new overwhelming task, but it’s important to remember that there are resources available for Casper College students to help make the college transition a little easier. The most accessible resources for college students are the counseling services offered at the Wellness Center, located in the Union Building (UU) on the second floor in room 202. The Wellness Center offers free confidential individual and group counseling, as well as crisis intervention for all CC students. “Our services run on more of a short-term, solution focused basis. So we see students to help identify how to work through challenges that are coming up and impacting their academic life. Issues like depression, anxiety and relationships,” Director of Counseling Erin Ford said. “A lot of the things that we focus on are emerging adulthood, identity and managing emotions is a huge piece. How to understand what we are feeling and how to make our emotions work for us versus us working for our emotions.” All students are welcome in the Wellness Center– people who have already identified concerns going on, who have never done counseling before, who just need somebody to support them or need a way to talk out what’s going on in their lives. The professional counselors on campus are trained to help students through a variety of mental health concerns including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, trauma, relationships, or other life adjustments. The counselors help students identify what they are feeling, what they want to feel and what steps they can take to feel that way. “Counseling is so neat because it is just a safe space where you’re talking to somebody who is professionally trained, doesn't know you for anything, doesn't know your background and you can just spill out everything in a totally nonjudgmental space. Weirdly enough that in and of itself, just having that space to sort things out helps make so much sense of things that are going on,” Ford commented. It is important for people to be able to identify signs that they may need to seek help from a licensed professional. New feelings of stress, ongoing anxiety, lack of motivation, ongoing sadness, irritability or any new ongoing negative emotions may be a sign that one should make an appointment to speak with a licensed professional. “Being in your head or overthinking is a really good time to come in and talk to somebody because typically when you are able to talk it out and get it out of your head, it is way easier to sort out,” Ford said. “Any kind of state in your life that you don’t know if that’s really how you want to be feeling and you don’t know what to do, it’s always great to drop in and come see us.” Fire Science major McKinsey Jerrel shared her own experience struggling with mental health in college. “My depression, anxiety and bulimia worsened since going into college,” she said. “I feel like the stress of assignments being piled on top of each other has made it worse as well as the isolation you get when you first move to a new place and don’t know anyone, especially when you’re [living] off campus.” Students today are facing unique challenges, social media and readjusting to life post-COVID are just two examples of the unique circumstances students have to face along with the normal stress of college life. Ford noted that social media is a big hurdle for students now because the platform makes it easier to compare yourself to other people. Such comparison can cause social disconnect that may couple with feelings of isolation and loneliness. The college encourages students to download and use a free app called “Nod.” According to the app description, Nod is designed to help students set their social skills and break them down into “small but powerful actions you can fit in your day or week.” The most important thing to remember when tackling mental health struggles is that no matter what, students are not alone. If dealing with persistent depression, anxiety, eating disorders, relationship struggles, or trauma, reach out to a trusted friend, family member, partner, CC faculty member or stop into the Wellness Center. “My advice to those who are struggling would be definitely ask for help,” Jerrel said. “There’s absolutely no shame in asking for help. Surround yourself with those you trust and those that have a positive vibe.” Additional Resources: Suicide and Crisis Lifeline - 988 Wyoming Counseling Center - (307) 237-9583 Wyoming Behavioral Institute (307) 237-7444 Campus Security - (307) 268-2688 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 Dave Siemens Don’t wait! Get your questions answered now. Download the MyCCMoodle app now! Tyler Sanner Drop by by Liesinger Hall, Room 132. or contact us at 307-268-3882 or dlc@caspercollege.edu. Casper College is an equal opportunity institution and as such, does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, veteran status, political affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law in admission or access to or treatment or employment in its educational programs or activities. Direct inquiries or complaints concerning Title IV, Title IX, and Section 504 to Linda Toohey, vice president for student services, at 125 College Dr., Casper, WY 82601, 307-268-2667, or linda.toohey@caspercollege.edu, or the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 1244 Speer Blvd., Ste. 310, Denver, CO 80204-3582, 303-844-5695 or TDD 303-844-3417. �December 2022 CHINOOK Come Play with PTK! Did you know? Play is a biological drive! There are extreme benefits to incorporating play into your life. Reduces feelings of negativity Increases chemicals that stimulate the brain Oxytocin: the love hormone Serotonin: the happy hormone Dopamine: the feel-good hormone Boosts intrinsic behavior and decreases extrinsic behavior Helps create social intelligence, cognitive intellect, and physical/mental resilience. Play deprivation can lead to: An increase in depression, anxiety, and mental illnesses. What’s the answer? CC Plays Day! Page 9 �Page 10 December 2022 CHINOOK First Fall Casino Night Lucy Jane Crimm/Chinook A Casper College student excitedly shows off the chips she won to the other players at the table during a Craps game at casino night Lucy Jane Crimm/Chinook This year is the first that Casper College has held casino night during the fall semester. During casino night, students had the opportunity to play games like Blackjack, Poker, Bingo, and Roulette to win chips and enter a raffle for various prizes. Lucy Jane Crimm/Chinook Left, Kristina Pham rolls the shooter during CC casino night Bingo. Pham is the physiology instructor in the school of social and behavioral sciences. Dr. Hawkes: Man of the students Kaylee Davis Chinook Contributor In November, the Casper College Ag Club held a Celebrity Sheep show, one where teachers and administrators could participate in by showing a sheep in front of a judge. While there were many preferences in attendance, the crowd favorite was Dr. Jerry Hawkes, Dean of the School of Science. In the student section, students cheered him on, created chants, and one even made a ‘Go Jerry’ poster. But why is he a favorite not only with those who work with him, but also with students he has or hasn’t taught? Colby Hales, assistant livestock judging coach said that Jerry can be described as “very caring for people and is the best boss I’ve had to work for.” When asked why, Hale said he must work with Jerry to coordinate Livestock Judging events, as well as happenings on the school’s ranch. “He is always very understanding.” said Hales. “I can see why the students I deal with love him. I’ve seen him work with students outside of class and I’ve seen him teaching a class he doesn’t have to teach.” The Chinook sat down in a room filled with Dodger fan items to interview a patient Hawkes who willingly answered questions. Hawkes is originally from Wyoming, where he called many towns home, but he graduated from Star Valley. After spending time on the rodeo circuit, he decided to pursue a future in education. He attended New Mexico State University, where he earned his Ph.D. in Range Science, M.S. in Agricultural Economics, and B.S., in Agricultural Economics. He also met individuals who helped shape him into the educator he is now. “My undergraduate advisor played a big role. I don’t think I would have graduated from college without Jim Libbin, as well as Lowell Catlett.” He said working with Mr. Libbin “showed how important the advisor and student relationship can be.” Several students describe the traits that make Dr. Hawkes that made him a leading favorite, both in and out of the classroom. They described him as “genuine, caring about the students, student advocate, contagious for laughter and had a passion for life and his work”. Bailey Mast claimed that he knew how to tell a story. Mast said, “Whether that be a personal story or a story that related to class and helped us understand the lesson.” When asked what helped students feel like they could connect to him in and out of the classroom, Hawkes said “I want to see them succeed and see what drives them. I’ve been fortunate that I got to teach a bit and meet the students. There’s so many who are intelligent and creative, and I am excited to see what the futures hold.” Madi Lupher, a sophomore, stated “Last year at the Ag Banquet, Jerry came up to my family and started talking to my parents about how fun and enjoyable he found me. I never took any classes from him, but he knew me from the college’s Casino night, and he had kept up communication with me since then!” Hawkes doesn’t have to support the students like he does. He doesn’t have to show up to the events, with several happening outside of school hours, but he does. Aspyn Green said “Jerry will come support things happening in the Ag department, such as competing in the lamb show.” Cambree Miller, a sophomore majoring in Agriculture Education, noticed that at the events she goes to, Jerry is typically there, not just for agriculture related events. “He is always socializing with everyone.” Hawkes spent 30 years of his career at New Mexico State University where he held the positions of professor, department head, and academic dean. After he retired, he knew he wanted to move back to Wyoming and continue to be in education in some form, which led him to Casper College for the last four plus years. He never thought that he would be in administration, but the role suits him. Hawkes said he “loves working with the students in whatever capacity. I am able to focus on student success, whether an advisor or teacher.” And at CC, he is sometimes thrown back into the classroom to teach when needed. “Every time they let me, I go in. Anytime someone asks I’ll go,” said Hawkes. And he Submitted Photo A group of students gathered at the Celebrity Sheep Show in November, hosted by the Casper College Ag Club. The students showed their support for Dean of the School of Science, Dr. Jerry Hawkes. isn’t just talking about agriculture classes as he will go in if a teacher is desperate enough for a substitute for the day. Hawkes said it’s a chance for him to connect with more students. Students in 2005 and 2010 chose Hawkes to receive the Donald R. Rousch Teaching Excellence Award. Hawkes spoke to the importance of the recognition. “That’s the one that stands out to me because that was student driven. When the students say I did okay, that was the nice one for me, especially when students think you’re here for them and you’re not stealing their time or money.” Hawkes said. Many students loved their time in the classroom with Hawkes. In the fall of 2021, he jumped in to help teach an Ag Economics class, and when the semester was up and students learned he would not be continuing in the spring, they expressed some disappointment. However, many say that fall semester helped them as new freshman, and they learned that Hawkes could be a teacher and in some ways a person they could trust. Hawkes is so popular among students because not only is he the Dean of the School of Science, but he is also a teacher and a leader. He is someone who cares about the students, their lives, and their success. He is the man for the students. Julie Hansen, Academic Assistant for the Science School of Science said, “Jerry was the first boss I had, and we will have worked five years together in February. However, we will retire together if that shows how much I think of him.” Proudly, Hansen described Hawkes stating, “He’s a wonderful quiet leader who will listen to everybody. He’s one who does not impose his rule of law per say.” Hawkes spoke to what he views as one of the best parts about this job. “I don’t have to do this; I get to do this. I love this. I am fortunate to do what I do, and it all comes back to the students. I haven’t had to go to work yet,” Hawkes stated. � 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 2022-12 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. 2022-12 Description An account of the resource This is a copy of the online Chinook Newspaper from December 2022. 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_2022-12 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/97f7aedb17dd3d42e5b8dcbff2f1a005.pdf ab84ca243e2e21929f1d67ea7fc370d6 PDF Text Text March 1, 2023 Casper College’s Student Voice Since 1945 Plays Day inspires student success Kaley Pieper Chinook Writer The recess bell in elementary school was the que to go play. As a child, playing is the favorite pastime of most everyone. Sports, recess, games, and other activities engage the mind and body, all of which are considered ‘play’. But as adults, there is no alarm to signal playtime. According to Casper College Phi Theta Kappa’s research, play is a biological drive, and there are extreme benefits to incorporating play into your life. Because play is such an important aspect of life, Phi Theta Kappa organized “CC Plays Day” to encourage students and staff at Casper College to engage in activities of play. On Thursday January 26, clubs from across campus organized games and activities open to everyone. Noelle Romer, psychology major and PTK President, helped organize the event. The idea for the event came from the club’s annual research project. This year, the topic was about play. “When you’re in that state of play, there’s so many benefits. You lose track of time, and your stress goes away. In our research, we found how important it is for college students, young adults, and even older adults to play. We kind of… shelf playing after childhood, because we have more serious things going on.” In PTK’s research, members found that play reduces feelings of negativity. It can also increase chemicals that stimulate the brain such as oxytocin (the love hormone), serotonin (the happy hormone), and dopamine (the feel-good hormone). Engaging in play also boosts intrinsic behavior and helps create social intelligence, cognitive intellect, and physical and mental resilience. When students make time to play each week, it can increase connection, which increases student success. Play deprivation can lead to depression, anxiety, and mental illnesses. “As a community college we have a really diverse population, diverse ages, and backgrounds.” said Romer “So we were looking for a way to connect the student body, and landed on nostalgia. Everyone has similar childhood experiences they can relate back to. So the idea of CC Plays day originated from this idea of connecting students, allowing them to benefit from play, and also get students involved in clubs and activities.” About 20 clubs and groups from across campus joined in by holding a play activity. Some of the clubs included American Sign Language Club, Fire Science Club, Thunderbird Gaming, Art Club, Student Senate, Oil City Ag Club, and Campus Ventures. “We learned that students that are involved in clubs have a higher success rate. — See Plays Day Page 3 Submitted Photo Erica Pasley is pictured to the right interacting with baby pigs at “Play Days” in the Grace Werner Ag Pavilion. These piglets and lambs are part of the college’s herd. Student Senate advocates: Free menstrual products on CC's campus William G Eastin Chinook Writer This year, Casper College Student Senate is pushing to provide period products on campus. Student Senate, partnering with Aunt Flow -- a menstrual product-based company -- is attempting to combat period poverty by implementing free period product dispensers in bathrooms for the use of students, teachers and faculty members. Shelby Davies is quoted in Period Poverty: The Public Health Crisis We Don’t Talk About saying, “Period poverty is defined as inadequate access to menstrual hygiene tools and education.” She is a faculty member at PolicyLab at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The lack of free and affordable period products for menstruators along with the stigmatized subject itself result in missing school or work. Kristina Pham, Student Senate advisor and psychology instructor, said, “Menstruators end up using things like rags or newspapers as substitutes.” With the unavailability of free and common hygiene products, menstruators are posed with a problem that can negatively affect their academic and professional careers. Starting last year, Student Senate placed a sizable focus on attempting to implement free period product dispensers throughout campus. The Student Body President, Olivia Daniels, stated, “Senate is unable to financially afford putting them in every bathroom as of now, so we’ll start off by putting them in only a few.” The Student Senate will target the bathrooms with the highest traffic around campus and implement the first few dispensers there, both in women and gender-neutral bathrooms. “These dispensers would be used as more of a trial run to see how often they get used, how much the cost would be for refilling them, and if they would pose any problems,” Daniels said. The Senate will not only take on the responsibility of purchasing the period product dispensers, but the senate will also take on putting them up and keeping them regularly stocked. Each dispenser will include both tampons and pads, costing a total of $300 per dispenser. Refill boxes, consisting of 500 tampons and 500 pads, will cost a total of $270. The Student Senate has chosen to partner with Aunt Flow for a variety of reasons. Pham said, “Aunt Flow seemed to have the highest quality product including organic materials, comfort tips, and unbleached cotton as well.” Comfortability and products with no chemicals are qualities that the Senate deem very important and beneficial for the use of menstruators. In past years, Casper College provided paid period products in bathrooms around campus, but they were removed. “From what I understood, they were taken out of the bathrooms because of vandalism,” Pham stated. With the Student Senate attempting to implement new period product dispensers in bathrooms, this situation still has the ability to pose a major problem. Daniels said, “I believe changing the period products from paid to free will completely and if not drastically reduce the problem with vandalism.” A national survey — See Products Page 3 CC's Marcela Caballero wins distinguished award Jacob Klaudt Chinook Writer Marcela Caballero, a sophomore majoring in accounting at Casper College, received the Wyoming Business Alliance’s Shaping Wyoming’s Future award earlier this winter at a private reception held in Cheyenne, Wyo. Along with accepting the award, Marcela earned a $250 scholarship from the WBA. The inaugural award presented to mainly first-generation college students highlighted accomplished scholars who work full or part-time jobs while simultaneously earning a business-related degree from a Wyoming community college. According to the Wyoming Association of Community College Trustees website, “One student was selected from each of Wyoming’s eight community colleges to share their story of determination and success.” The website also states, “The Wyoming Business Alliance is recognizing these students for the ways they have been able to transform their lives through their experience with the Wyoming community college system, and how their efforts are shaping the future of Wyoming.” Caballero, the book-reading painter who looks after an extensive and eccentric plant collection, hails from Douglas, Wyo. She is also a firstgeneration college student. Caballero is employed at a bank and working towards a bachelor’s degree at the same time. Marcela’s favorite book series, Flawed by Cecilia Ahern, depicts a young woman who excels at math and breaks down social norms in a “perfect” society. The story seems to parallel Marcela’s own life and love for accounting.With every CC student eligible to receive the SWF award, instructors in all departments nominated diligent, hardworking students who display traits of academic excellence. “We asked our faculty to recommend students who they felt showed passion toward their major, and a commitment to their education,” said Linda Toohey, CC Vice President of Student Services. “We were also looking for students who had overcome adversity as well as someone who was a community and campus leader.” Mark Oxley, Caballero’s accounting instructor and — See Award Page 3 Submitted Photo Wyoming Business Alliance representatives present Caballero (center) with a glass plaque and $250 scholarship at a reception in Cheyenne, Wyo. �Page 2 Chinook Stance Divine's Intervention: Winter Weather = Poor Parking Jacob Klaudt Keepin' Up With Klaudt I would like to first preface this declaration by saying that I am not the world’s most fantastic driver. I’ve got some speeding tickets to my name, have backed into a few things, and am known to ignore a stop sign every once in a while. Nevertheless, I know how to drive, and just as importantly, park in winter conditions. After all, I hail from the great state of North Dakota which is the home of hockey, the world’s largest walleye, and winters that rival the most desolate parts of the Arctic. From snow drifts as tall as powerlines and actual temperatures of negative 60 degrees it's safe to say, I have seen my fair share of snow, ice, and hazardous road conditions. With all that being said, nothing raises my blood pressure more than seeing horrendous parking jobs due to a sprinkling of snow. I cannot count the number of times I’ve seen perfectly good spots around campus ruined by unbearably bad parking situations. Crooked parking, parking too far away from the curb, taking up multiple spots, and ignoring the lines make up some of the most unacceptable ways I’ve seen people place their vehicles at Casper College. Let me paint a real and frequently occurring picture–, the heavens have just opened up with some wintery precipitation and I’m driving east on Campus Drive past Strausner Hall because the large parking lot north of the Residence Hall appears pretty well full. I’m headed to the sub shop for a succulent sandwich. I start looking for parking between Leisinger and the Union Building only to find that two available spaces are being occupied by one reprehensible vehicle. In a state of such colossal disappointment, I continue on campus drive past Aley Hall, and approach the four-way stop where I’m forced to operate in the middle of the street due to three cars who’ve parked an outlandish distance from the curb. A collision almost takes place between myself and oncoming traffic, but I miraculously manage to make it to the stop sign. I figure that the next closest place to park is in the Leisinger lot. I signal left and make my way into the eye of the storm just hoping to have some room to perch my Chevy for 15 minutes. I am immediately horrified by the amount of wrongly angled automobiles and the complete disregard for those delightful yellow lines that used to mean something. There appears to be parking sites created out of thin air that make maneuvering around plenty difficult. After I make it out of this den of delinquents, my next option is the diagonal spaces that face the Wold Physical and Loftin Life Science Centers. I’m blown away by what’s in front of me. I feel I’m stuck in a reoccurring nightmare filled with ignorant motor vehicle operation. Finally, I make it to Parking Lot Five located in front of the Gateway Building. The sub shop is an eternity away, so I utilize the Gateway Coffee Cart to satisfy my hunger. This anecdote may seem slightly exaggerated, but in fact, this story is a reality for many students and even some faculty at CC. Now, the solution to this problem isn’t a new-fangled college course in parking or mass communication to the student body about the finer points of positioning a vehicle within two lines. It actually boils down to exhibiting one simple, yet valuable trait: courtesy. I know that sometimes people find themselves in a rush, but taking a second to be courteous and to look in your side mirrors to check your location within a parking space may be a big help to someone who's tardy for class or, in my case, looking for some quick lunch. Parking is already limited during winter months due to the piling of snow in end spots, so it becomes even more pertinent that all remaining spots available for use are not squandered away by reckless motor car stationing. At the end of the day, this issue seems trivial, but I see people who don’t feel the need to park correctly in the same light as those who chew with their mouths open: just downright inconsiderate. March 1, 2023 CHINOOK “ Mark Twain famously said “Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress; but I repeat myself.” Now while this particular quote might strike many as humorous, and is certainly part of a very long and large genre of jokes and criticisms of politicians, I urge you to move beyond, using current terminology, the meme stage. As I write this article, the Wyoming Legislature is winding down. Over the eight 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 for an elected office, I fervently believe everyone needs to be aware of the pieces of legislation being proposed and moving through your local, state, and national political processes. Democracy is a process of the people. Without being involved; without making your voice heard though public discourse, communication with elected representatives, and though the election process, you are leaving your future to the desires of others…. While each of us have our individual opinions of the political process, and individual or groups of politicians, I urge you to not ignore the political process altogether. — Darren Divine, Ph.D., Casper College President The life of a stage manager The hardest job to fulfill in the arts is stage managing a show. While there are many strenuous jobs in the arts, such as dance teacher, museum curator, and professional dancer, none compare to that of a stage manager. Though my experience in this area was short lived, the four months that I was acting as a right-hand man to my stage manager Jaeden McFarland in Cinderella, I was working the hardest I ever have to keep my sanity under control. Oftentimes I was getting coffee once or twice a day with McFarland in an effort to keep both of our spirits high and our determination resolute. There is a lot of work that goes into every theater production, whether it be a one act play, or a three hour long musical. Each one has a set to be made, a crew to hire, and most importantly; someone to run the show. Though these shows would not happen without the whole team, there would be no team if it weren’t for the person in charge. Many think the director is the one in charge, calling the shots for the entire show from start to finish. This may be true in a college setting, but a professional setting is a different story. The director shows up for a short period of time, usually making sure that his requirements are honored, and then he often leaves until the show opens. The stage manager takes over from there, a new 24-hour job on their hands. Oftentimes the stage manager will stay in the theater all day, as professional theaters often have morning and afternoon practices. The times for practice are mapped out by the S.M., when they will have a break, what days they will have dress rehearsal, and when tech week will be. Though time is limited in the days leading up to tech week, the stage manager’s days get longer and their hours of sleep get shorter as opening day approaches. Tech week is the week where lighting and sound is added on top of everything else that the cast has been practicing. This also means scene changes are added, costume changes are solidified, and the stage manager’s life becomes increasingly more difficult. It is their job to que everything that goes on behind the walls of the stage, including the quick changes, the sound (depending on the show, often only dance shows will have a sound que), the lighting, and the call time for intermission. They run the show entirely on their own, and while they have the help of the other crew members, they call the shots. After practice is all said and done, the stage manager is in charge of making sure everyone gets out of the building, postshow jobs are complete, and the theater is locked up. This process on average takes about two hours after a practice that lasts up to four hours, and then the actors need time to get out of costume and set their pieces in place for the next show. If one is not doing theater professionally, but rather going to school for it, then on top of stage managing a whole show and getting home around 11:00 at night, then they also have to do their homework for their classes. This whole process usually lasts around four months, as long as the show is running. There are some differences between college theater and professional theater, besides the obvious that you came to learn at the college. Stage manager’s get paid to do their job. However, in big cities like L.A. and New York, one show’s pay is often not enough to make ends meet, and they end up stage managing more than one show at a time. Working for different companies, and managing different shows is stressful on a person. Though they do not have to do all of this work on their own, as traditionally there is an assistant stage manager there to take on some of the load. This was my job, and at first, I was disappointed not to get cast in the musical itself, but the experience proved to be fulfilling. Working as the A.S.M. was hard work on its own, as I had to follow around my higher up and help wherever I could. It was a new experience for me, and I remember breaking down on the first day of tech week because I had never had to do the heavy lifting that the crew does. McFarland's job was much harder than mine, even just in a college production. Valentines Day is ... Over? Join our staff this fall! Practice interviewing & writing weeks of the session, many pieces of legislation have been proposed, debated, and ultimately signed into law by the Governor. While each of us have our individual opinions of the political process, and individual or groups of politicians, I urge you to not ignore the political process altogether. I am certainly not arguing everyone should run for public office, although I absolutely would encourage anyone who does feel so compelled to run Presents, cards, flowers, chocolate, and dates -- typical gifts and surprises that one may give to their special someone on this day called Valentine’s Day. The holiday originated to celebrate and honor the Christian Priest Saint Valentine. Yet somehow, we went from honoring a man of religion to having one specific day in February to celebrate. For some, the day may be stressful or sad, while others view the holiday as an overrated, forced expression of love. As a kid, Valentine’s Day was a time in class to get a candy rush, play games, and best of all not have much schoolwork to do. In later years, it’s become a holiday that many -- myself included -- feel is pointless, serving only as a money maker only for those in the Valentine’s Day business so to speak. Examples include Hallmark cards, Russell Stover chocolate, and flower shops. Not only that but according to bankrate.com, “Men spend 275 more dollars than women on Valentines Day.” Doesn’t that seem a little bit excess to you? I guess it might not if one is trying to ensure that February 14th doesn’t make or break a relationship. According to today.yougov. com, “About one in 14 US adults (7%) says that they’ve broken up with someone on Valentine’s Day. A similar number have broken up with a partner shortly before (6%) or shortly after (6%) Valentine’s Day.” But who or what can we blame for such a spiked interest in the holiday? Research shows that the Industrial Revolution and the larger creation of greeting cards is the culprit. The printing press made it possible to mass-produce cards and other valentine printed materials. Now, Valentine’s Day brings in a whopping $27 billion in revenue in the United States alone, according to balanceeverything.com. However, even I have to admit that this revenue generating holiday is a great benefit to small businesses. The dailyhowl.org claims that “Small businesses are able to pull off higher sales than larger companies in part because smaller businesses are able to personalize their goods to each individual consumer, which brings in more consumers than the Ella Meyer Ella's Elaborations I would leave the theater by 9:30 most nights (unless I was shadowing her) and oftentimes she would not come home until 11:00 at night. As theater majors, the majority of our classes in the fall semester were in the theater building, so we were staying in the theater from eight in the morning to eleven at night. Half of that time was spent on stage or next to the stage itself. There are many stressful jobs in the arts industry, as it’s a career path that not many choose and has little to no financial stability behind it. I have found stage managing to be my most stressful job. Selling art and using the profits to pay my bills was much easier than trying to help someone run a show. The month the show was running were some of the most stressful nights of my theater career, but in the end, it had a grand payout. McFarland agrees with me when I say that seeing a show you helped run go smoothly and without any hiccups along the way, is one of the most rewarding things you could do in theater. The personal reward aside, stage managing is a hard job, and it takes a certain type of person to buckle down and get the job done. But the payoff is worth more than the sleepless nights, and the stress that the rest of the show induces. The end result is most satisfying and rewarding. Kaylee Davis Deets with Davis average pre-packaged ready-made goods of corporations.” While this holiday is supposed to be romantic and somewhat cheerful, many may be more depressed than not. These reasons could be because a person is single or they can’t afford the items they want for their significant other. Some say the stress to make the day flawless is too much and others are reminded of those they lost. To make the day better, especially if you’re single, according to www.banyanmentalhealth.com, you can treat yourself for a day, meditate, avoid comparing yourself to others, and find others who are single like you and have a “galantines celebration.” So why put so much pressure on one whole day? Why not give a random gift to your significant other on other days of the year? Why put so much emphasis on one entire day when you could put an emphasis on your relationship all the time to ensure that this one, large company invested day doesn’t make or break not only your relationship, but maybe your spirit as well? �March 1, 2023 Page 3 CHINOOK Plays Day............................................... So CC Plays day allowed the integration of club interaction, and students participating with clubs in the way they haven’t had a chance to. It’s a fun way to interact and get to know what goes on around campus.” There were a variety of events offered on Play Day. Campus Ventures held a dodgeball tournament. Psychology Club organized a shirt tie-dying activity. There were also virtual reality and video game activities from various clubs. Oil City Ag club even set up baby pig petting as an afternoon event. And while these scheduled activities are beneficial, engaging in play is important to incorporate into everyday life, not just once a year. “Just like you have a personality and style, you have a different play style. We’ve identified that there’s different ways to engage in play. There’s social play, which would include board games, and physical play like dodgeball, or art. Identifying how you prefer to play and then giving yourself time is important. We did a survey and the #1 response of why people didn’t play was they didn’t have the time.” Romer said. Olivia Barnes is a pre-vet major at CC who participated in CC Plays day. She played board games, participated in and escape room, enjoyed video games, and more. She said her favorite activity was the breakout box held in the Goodstein Library, put on by the college’s library staff. While Barnes said she enjoyed the activities at CC Plays Day, she also said she seldom engages in her own playful activities. When asked how often she plays on a daily basis she laughed and said, “Never. Maybe once in a while X-Box if that counts but that’s it. Playing has been beneficial today though and it got me out of the house.” Romer’s advice to integrating play into your life is, “Schedule a time. It doesn’t have to be physical. Just a way to break away and be in that state of mind that relaxes you. I don’t usually schedule play, but doing this research reminded me that I’m not as serious as I thought I was, and I actually do enjoy taking a break from the rigor of school and playing. Just having the fun you did as a child.” CC Plays Day brought together clubs around campus, connecting them together with the activity of play. It also showed students the positive benefits of engaging in play. Joining a campus club, setting aside time in your daily schedule, and playing may seem childish, but even adults are kids at heart. The biological drive of play is important to help better one’s mood, and increase individual success. Products..... continued from page 1 Submitted Photo Casper College students play dodgeball at the Campus Ventures sponsored tournament on CC Plays Day. continued from page 1 WRITING CENTER conducted by George Mason University and the University of Pennsylvania found, “10% of all female college students are unable to afford menstrual products each month.” Period Poverty is an avid issue in society today. By partnering with Aunt Flow, CC’s Student Senate is attempting to combat the issue by implementing free period product dispensers in bathrooms across campus for the use of students, staff, and faculty. Award.......... Student Senate hopes to provide products like those pictured above. William G Eastin/Chinook continued from page 1 academic advisor, nominated her for the award in late September because of her dedicated and respectful approach to her academic work. After making the first cut of students, upper CC administration selected Caballero to receive the award in October due to her exceptional work ethic and dedication to her schooling. “Simply put, it was just really cool,” Caballero said. “It was an awesome feeling.” Scholastic success ranks at the top of the list of important factors in the selection process. Caballero possesses a distinct and mature outlook on education aiding in not only achieving the award but finding success in the classroom. “I have put my whole life into school because education is something no one can take away from you,” Marcela said. “Education is something that I take seriously because you can have it forever and pass it down through your family.” With the award titled Shaping Wyoming’s Future, Caballero said she plans on using her financial and accounting experience and her education to benefit those who may struggle within that area. Observing some of her family’s struggles with poverty during her upbringing revealed the understanding of how financial literacy is the basis for the success of a continuous family. “I’ve noticed that a lot of minorities have trouble with their finances. I want to help those Wyoming families understand things like contracts, how to use credit cards, and what types of bank accounts are beneficial to them,” Caballero said. Initially, Caballero said, accounting sat towards the bottom of her potential career choice and interest list, but her innate fascination with numbers and appreciation for the discipline’s objectivity showed her its importance in the real world and how it can become a stepping stone for anyone’s success. Caballero said, “If you understand your finances very, very well, you’re more than likely going to be successful in one way or another.” Winning the SWF award, going from a juvenile Bank Teller to an experienced Universal Banker, and earning her associate's degree in accounting from CC make up just some of the things Caballero’s accomplished. Even so, her journey in achieving all of these successes comes across as anything but a linear process. “College is not easy, not in the slightest. The constant exams and assignments tested my limits and made me want to give up at first,” Caballero said. “Juggling a job, with such a stressful thing like school, and being told at the same time that ‘You’re not going to get that far,’ has made me want to accomplish and thrive in all the things I do rather than give up.” The Shaping Wyoming’s Future award helps shine a spotlight on gifted Wyoming community college students who not only take the time to do things right in the classroom but also in the game of life. Caballero meets that ideal and is a great representative for CC and all students in her shoes. The Writing Center at Casper College is here to help our students and members of the community. Brainstorm possible paper topics Craft an essay Gain writing strategies And so much more! 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 �Page 4 March 1, 2023 CHINOOK Day in the Life of an RA Ella Meyer Chinook Writer Denton Decoteau and Isabella Coronado are both resident assistants at the college’s residence hall. These two students are just part of the entire group of RAs that watch over the students that live on campus, and they are passionate about their jobs at CC. But their day-to-day looks a little different from everyone else’s, as they have more on their plate than the typical college student. Being an RA is a 24-hour job, unlike many other parttime jobs that employ many students. This job requires the staff to stay up late and do rounds of the halls to make sure that everything is going smoothly, answer the phone whenever a resident may have a problem, and watch over the front desk. Though the employee’s make their own schedule most of the time, they still must take turns doing the chores that must be done. Decoteau, an elementary education major, described his morning routine when he is on the clock opening up the desk and getting ready to help anyone who comes down. There is a list of jobs provided by the Residence Hall Student Coordinator, Kaitlyn Davidson. The list includes sorting through mail, assisting residents moving in or out, and helping those with roommate problems solve them in a cordial manner. This is not all that Deceteau does, as he has other passions outside of his job. He loves to powerlift, and says that the lifting community is very welcoming to newcomers, and that is one of the reasons he likes the RA job so much. Decoteau spoke to what made him decide to be an RA. “I want to help build a community around campus and the residence hall. I want to help people even if it's something as little as getting them back in their room and helping them feel welcomed on campus,” Decoteau said. His past with powerlifting and becoming part of a community has helped in his journey as an RA, helping him bring people together. He likes to plan activities for the students to do and wants to bring together a weight lifting club. Denton finds nothing wrong with his job as an RA, as he found close friends in his colleagues. He said he sees the work as an opportunity to grow as a person. Coronado, a communications major, shared the same thoughts about being an RA, saying that the role gave her a sense of community and brought her closer with the people in the residence hall. Coronado provided more detail about her day as an RA, talking about room checks, and needing to report students for incident’s. Though she said she likes being an RA, she also talked about things she struggles with on the job. “The incidents are hard, especially with hard topics,” said Coronado. The incidents can span Pictued above is the RA's desk area in Casper College's dorms. from parties to alcohol, as well as some worse-case-scenarios that are hard to deal with, according to Coronado. There are some advantages to being an RA other than the community, including free room and board. Both RA’s agree that this is a perk and something that influenced their choice to apply for the job. Being in that position led to more friends for the two, as it opens them up to socialize with the other students, whether they want to or not. When all other RA duties are complete, students will do homework or keep themselves busy until their shift is over. The shift’s last from four to six hours, and the group of RAs are always on rotation so there is someone at the desk at all times. These RAs must also decorate their halls with a new theme every month, though there is a generous amount of Ella Meyer/Chinook creative freedom allowed. Though being an RA is a time-consuming job, and sometimes can be frustrating, these two found joy in their employment. Their job comes easy to them, and it is not seen as a chore to help the students under their care. All of the RAs seem to hold this same mindset when it comes to their job, and it is easy to tell that the resident’s hall is in good hands with this team. �March 1, 2023 Page 5 CHINOOK Davidson, 2022-2023 Residence Hall Coordinator Kaylee Davis Chinook Writer Kaitlin Davidson is a familiar face to some- and a new face to others as of the fall semester. She has a fairly long history with Casper College, and now she is the new 2022-2023 residence hall coordinator. Davidson first attended Casper in 2014-2017 and earned her associates degree in business and dance. As a student, Davidson also worked as a resident assistant or RA. The role helped her in her new job because she said she “knows the background and it allowed me to take those experiences, positive or negative, and be better for the current RA’s,” said Davidson. However, Davidson’s plans did not always follow this career path. After Casper College she transferred to Kennesaw Georgia to earn her bachelors in dance with the end goal to one day teach dance, and she wanted to do it at CC. Soon, Covid hit, and she put her plans away, but in 2021 her chance to be a part of dance opened up in Casper and she worked as the theater dance specialist until she took over being the resident hall coordinator. Again, Davidson’s plans took a different route than anticipated, going from the dance the side of things to administrative work Davidson explained, “I liked working at a college but wanted to grow with a college. There wasn’t as many opportunities to do that with dance, and I wanted to see about getting into this side of student services.” Davidson said she likes adventure and trying new things, which proves beneficial when trying to find where you want to go in life with many goals in mind. Along with interests ranging from dance to business, she now runs a building full of students, and works with the RA’s on a dayto-day basis. Naomi Farnsworth is a Sophomore at CC and a first year RA majoring in Animal Science. While she knew the workload she would be taking on with classes and the RA position, she said “there are times when it can still be stressful”. Farnsworth appreciates that Davidson is “easy to talk to and understands where the RAs are coming from” Farnsworth said, “Kaitlin is really good at understanding and knows that our class load can be stressful, so she talks about different things we can do to help us be successful in both.” Farnsworth didn’t know Davidson prior to applying to be an RA, however, she said she is impressed that pretty much after her wedding and honeymoon, “She started her job and jumped in full force. It was crazy to see the jump of her being so professional and organized after the whirlwind of a wedding.” With that in mind, Davidson juggles a full plate, as she manages the RA’s and sets time aside to talk and work with them one- on- one every two weeks. Together they, consolidate and manage residents moving in and out while helping them find the best match. She also has to keep track of who is where and in what room during the school year while students are switching out roommates. Davidson said this alone can keep her busy as, “a lot of students and graduates transfer at semester.” Emma Jay is another Resident Assistant who is familiar with the job, as this is her second year. She’s no stranger to being busy. Jay already earned her Associates in Elementary education and Agriculture, and she is currently working on her Bachelors in Elementary Education through Valley State University, a program that works with CC similar to UW Casper. She said she could already tell the changes that occurred within the RA staff department from Davidson’s influence “This year I feel like Kaitlin came into this position fresh and trial by fire, and she’s doing such a good job with it. She is also very open and transparent with us. We’re a team but it feels more like that, and Kaitlin has been learning and growing with us as a team,” Jay said. Davidson shared some of her goals with her new position, and one of the major ones is seeing more residents not just attend programs, but to see them out and socializing with each other, -whether that be at a basketball game or going to the lobby. Jay and Farnsworth can attest to this positive change and extra creativity in their positions. “She just wants us to continue building events that reach Kaylee Davis/Chinook Kaitlin Davidson, the residence hall coordinator, visits with Dash Lloyd, an RA. Lloyd and his fellow RA's share many different responsibilities on campus. out to more audiences than normal, and she wants us to build relationships with our residents” Jay said. Farnsworth shared her experience as well. She said, “Compared to last semester, we are trying to do more diversity with our programming that we do. We are trying to utilize the courtyard and kitchens more, not just the central hub of the multipurpose room.” Davidson added her own opinions on the RA’s that she works with. “Our relationship is very close, as in it’s professional but at a relatable level from a boss and co-worker standpoint,” Davidson said. “This team specifically, I could not have asked to walk in on a better group. As well, it’s a hard position to have as a fulltime student, and I want to make sure they can openly communicate with me.” Davidson also attributes her successful transition to Corey Peacock and Linda Toohey. “They are very encouraging in me finding my own path and understand that everyone has their own path in life. Corey has set the tone as a boss for any job I’ll have,” Davidson said. Davidson’s positive impact on the college is noticed by her RA’s, and she is a model example to show students that no matter what plans may look like, it’s okay to stray from those and try new things. assistant director responsible for many of the secretarial duties of the center, said she appreciates the ways the college allows the ECLC to professionally develop. Litke said, “We have a lot of opportunities that other childcare centers might not have to go to professional conferences to see other child care models and child care programs. So, I think that's what drives the individual growth in the program” Litke also expressed her gratitude for the sense of security that the college provides. Many other local childcare centers are victims to the ebbs and flows of revenue, but the ECLC can stay open as long as the College is. The tight connection between the ECLC and CC is also very beneficial for college students wanting to work on campus. The center gives CC students many workstudy opportunities to put into practice the things they’ve learned in class. Calmes said, “We have three student teachers currently finishing up their associate’s degree. We have nine guidance students who are working on the guidance of young children, and this place gives them a chance to come up and practice what they’ve been learning in class in real life.” The relationship between the ECLC and its student workers is mutually beneficial. Many students who worked at the ECLC become permanent members of the staff after completing their degrees and help the center anticipate the changes in pre-primary education. Calmes herself was once a Casper College student. Being on the cutting edge of early childhood education, the ECLC sets high standards for its caretakers. The college’s education programs mean that the future educators of the world earn a quality education before contributing to a modern learning center. The ECLC requires that all of its employees be college educated, which Calmes claimed is a factor many other childcare centers don’t press. When distilled, all of this means that the ECLC provides a distinct experience for its kids. The program's flexibility and its constant inflow of fresh ideas means that the center’s curriculum reflects the time. Calmes described how the center’s methods have changed and what the ECLC calls an emergent curriculum. “We used to do it thematic based, where it was like every week we had something we focused on. So maybe January was ‘Community Helpers’ and for one week we did firefighters and the next week we do police officers and that sort of thing. And we did that for years,” Calmes said. “And then ten years ago we started to look into an emergent curriculum, which was more reflective of the kids in the classroom, their interests, and allowed us to be more flexible with the thematic base.” Calmes used one classroom’s focus on the life cycle of a pumpkin as an example of how one simple idea is turned into lessons that the kids can carry with them for the rest of their lives. The growing of a seed to a pumpkin is an constructive way of teaching kids about how their bodies grow, according to Calmes. The pumpkin is an effective meta- phor, but the abstract concepts the center teaches sometimes calls for outside help. Being a part of the college means the ECLC has easy access to swaths of educators to take what the kids are learning to the next level. For example, a CC instructor visited to explain the process of growing up by connecting a seed growing to the development of their own bones. “We had the anatomy faculty instructor up here to talk to them with his little skeleton guy on the difference of that,” said Calmes. “We had the dance instructor come in to teach them how to stretch to help their bodies grow. We had two faculty from the music department come in and talk about how music helps their brains grow.” With the help of college faculty, kids at the ECLC can get a holistic and valuable education without even realizing they’re learning. “We talk a lot about meeting the kids where they are. And we do prepare them for elementary, but that doesn’t necessarily drive us,” Litke said. “There's a lot of things in elementary school that they’re supposedly required to do, but we’re kind of more focused on each individual child– building relationships with them. And the way we think now, our approach is… we don’t tell them what to learn, we teach them how to learn.” Many kids pass through the doors at the ECLC with more to come. With the help of CC’s resources and the center’s unique practices, Calmes, Litke, and their staff are there to look after the next generation of kids the ECLC way. Early Childhood Learning Center's unique philosophy Photo Courtesy of Angel Anderson Pictured above is one of the classrooms in the ECLC that uses natural lighting and a warm atmosphere to make children feel comfortable and welcome. Garrett Grochowski Chinook Writer The Early Childhood Learning Center, Casper College’s own childcare provider, offers exclusive opportunities for faculty and students with a unique approach to emotionally and cognitively preparing children for the world. The ECLC uses its position as a fixture of CC to learn and adopt contemporary education philosophies, mold the next generation of educators, and give the children of CC staff and students a safe place to learn. Emily Calmes, the ECLC director, described the many advantages of the on-campus program and what those mean for parents. “Probably the biggest draw for students and faculty is that we follow the college schedule. In lots of childcare centers, you would have to sign your kid up for an entire year, and pay for them whether they were a part of the summer program or not,” Calmes said. “We are only open fall and spring semesters and not through the summer semester. We target specifically what the college is. The college is closed, we’re closed. So, parents don't have to worry about that piece at all.” The program’s flexibility doesn’t end with its schedule. Its position as part of the college gives the ECLC many professional opportunities that other centers may miss out on. Melissa Litke, the ECLC’s www.caspercollege.edu/chinook �Page 6 CHINOOK March 1, 2023 Homecoming basketball game 2023 Submitted Photos Left, Number 13 Jaden Peters and number 34 Andrija Maric watch their teammates during the homecoming game. Below, the student section shows enthusiasm by doing the wave at Casper College's recent homecoming games. Mariona Cos-Morales shoots a freethrow during the homecoming game. Submitted Photo Diversity paving way for T-Birds success Ella Meyer/Chinook Jaren Harris (left) is pictured with teammate Jamison Epps at last weekend's home games. Carlos Fandal Chinook Writer Following a narrow 79-72 win, Casper College’s men's basketball team, the Thunderbirds, are on a roll. They’re now 22-5, with a win streak of seven. Things are looking great for the T-Birds, and historically, this is nothing new for them. Coach Shawn Gutting maintains a wonderful standard of excellence for the T-Birds in each and every season he’s coached. Gutting spoke to the Chinook about the historical standard for which Casper College basketball is known. “The history of the program is really good. There've been a lot of really good coaches,” Gutting said. “And then the coaching staff’s understanding that there is a tradition here, and wanting to uphold that tradition by being a winning culture.” When asked about that tradition, Gutting said, “I try to have fun in practice a little bit, but we have a lot of no-nonsense moments where we’re here to work. For pretty much all of these guys, the reason they’re here is to play basketball and go to school. Signing up to be a college athlete or student athlete is NOT easy.” Gutting believes some of the weight falls on his shoulders. “Being supportive throughout all of those things, offering the support of what you need off the floor, that will help you individually, personally, keep you in the right headspace, staying positive is what’s gonna help our team,” said Gutting. Gutting said he learns from his players too. “You know the rewarding part of this… I’ve done this for ten years now (and) getting to see these kids fight through failure, fight through adversity, and seeing them succeed whether it's here as a team or even at the next level when they go to the next school,” Gutting said. He’s always excited to watch them grow. “I think for me, watching guys grow up, you know, become family men you know, get married, it’s amazing to see these guys grow.” Gutting said he believes the school’s interest in sports plays a big role in the success of the team. “Part of it is the school, buying into athletics. Caring about it, caring about the students,” Gutting said. The school’s commitment to sports goes much further than the stadium and the facilities, with the recruitment of international students to compete for the T-Birds. The T-Birds roster is very diverse. Only three starting players are from Wyoming, and four starters are international college athletes. Jamison Epps, a starting guard, said, “This is the most diverse team I’ve played on probably my whole career.” Epps’s basketball career began in Lebanon, Ky. He said he’s excited about what the diverse nature of the team brings, and he’s thrilled to show everyone what they’re capable of. “We just have so much to bring, too much to bring to the table. We’ve got shooters for days. We got guys that can spread the floor, that can create for others. We got guys that play it by the rim, (and) we got guys that (here that) know their job is to rebound,” Epps said. “We got guys coming to play defense, and that aspect brings a lot of diversity, this is the first time I’ve ever played on a team with international players, so it’s really cool to be around them and see how they view the sport, how their countries view the sport and just getting to know someone else, and see the world through someone else’s eyes.” This didn’t just happen overnight, however. There were difficulties at first, according to Gutting. “It just takes time. You're gonna have clashes of personalities, right? Guys that are from different areas are gonna see things differently than maybe some other guys, and I think ultimately it's trying to get them to kind of come to an understanding together,” Gutting said. “The teams that have been really good get over themselves, get over that selfishness and ultimately accept each other as being family members.” With the regular season coming down to the final stretch, the T-Birds are looking to finish strong. Assuming the weather permits, the T-Birds are looking at a shiny, very positive record to end their season on par with the standard Gutting, the fans, and the T-Birds themselves set for themselves. �March 1, 2023 Page 7 CHINOOK circlesWEshare: A CC dance concert Photo Courtesy of Edwin Gonzalez Casper College dancers Abigail Larsen and Sawyer Shepardson are pictured above using the gravitational force of each other to execute an eloquent movement during the college’s dance recent performance. Photo Courtesy of Edwin Gonzalez Casper College dancers Abigale Lipson and Kaylee Youmans are suspended in air during on opening night. Photo Courtesy of Edwin Gonzalez Below, Casper College dancers Abigale Lipson and Mckenzi Pieper embrace the comfort of each other while performing circlesWEshare. Photo Courtesy of Edwin Gonzalez Casper College dancers Abigale Lipson and Sawyer Shepardson allow the silks to support them while performing live. Photo Courtesy of Edwin Gonzalez Casper College dancer Sawyer Shepardson allows the silks to take her weight during the college’s dance performance. Photo Courtesy of Edwin Gonzalez Casper College dancer Kyler Rabourn is pictured here supporting Abigale Lipson while she is suspended in air on opening night of the college's circlesWEshare dance performance. Photo Courtesy of Edwin Gonzalez Casper College Dancer Nicholas Goar confidently runs on stage during the college’s dance performance. �Page 8 March 1, 2023 CHINOOK International student experiences at CC Jonna McCullough Chinook Contributor Saundra Frau and Flora Goed are both international Casper College students that worked through many changes in their day-to-day lives while attending school in the U.S. Frau is from Pego, Alicante Spain and Goed is from Vienna, Austria. Both are returning sophomore student athletes on the Lady Thunderbirds Basketball Team. Being international students, it was not easy for the student athletes to leave their home countries and move to America, but for Frau the decision was easy. “For me, it was the scholarship that Coach offered me to play. A full ride, meals, and books are paid for. How could I say no?” said Frau. Even though it's an eighthour time difference, 19-yearold Frau didn’t hesitate to pack her bags and move to the United States. Just from looking at pictures of the U.S. and let alone Wyoming, Frau she didn’t know what she was getting into and neither did Goed. “I didn’t even know where Casper was," said Frau. At 21-years-old, Goed is the oldest player on the CC Lady T-birds basketball team, and her teammates Her nicknamed her ‘Grandma.’ Much like Frau, Goed is also on an all exclusive scholarship but her decision wasn’t as clear cut. “I had until December to decide because of the eligibility rule. The coaches here were so nice and flexible it made the decision much easier,” said Goed. Granted, the women made moving to America sound like an easy transition but adapting has been harder than they’ve made it look. Learning the language and communicating with professors, classmates, teammates, and even coaches have been harder than they both expected. “It’s weird sometimes being in a place where no one can understand you,” said Frau. Goed also spoke to the challenge. She said, “I feel so closed off sometimes because people just can’t understand what I’m saying, but everyone still says hello.” The women also immediately noticed the altitude difference. Having to adapt to a mich higher altitude made it harder for the athletes to catch their breaths in practice, let alone to continue playing and pushing to the max. Both women also expressed how much they miss their family and friends. Sometimes they said they wonder if their loved ones have forgotten about them and went on with their lives, not thinking about their friends that moved to America. “Not having family here or people you grew up with is like starting a whole new story here, said Frau. Frau and Goed started a new chapter in their lives by going to school and playing basketball in Casper, Wyo. They are writing their own stories while finding their independence. During their time here, they found the difference between the environment, relationships and living situations. Frau and Goed agreed that the timing of American meals is much different than in their home countries. Because of the large time difference, they Submitted Photo Flora Goed (left) and Saundra Frau (right) enjoyed time together as friends off the court. Goed and Frau are international students and teammates on the Casper College Women's Basketball Team. said it’s harder to know when to eat because they are both so used to eating at a certain time at home. Coming to central Wyoming flipped their eating, sleeping, and basketball schedule. Not only has the time of eating been different but the food is too. According to Goed, “The food here is much greasier and many more foods are processed. The food at home is more fresh and naturally grown”. When the women arrived in Casper, they couldn’t believe the town wasn’t full of skyscrapers, traffic jams, and smelly fumes. “I could actually see the whole city, which is crazy to me,” said Goed. “I couldn’t believe how dif- ferent the decorations were, and how all of you dress, like cowboys and cowgirls. You wear jeans and hats everyday,” said Frau. “We don’t do that at home.” Regardless of differences off the court, the girls are currently making quite a statement on CC’s basketball team. As student athletes, they can’t help but compare school and basketball here versus at home. According to Frau. “Ohhhh, school is much easier here. Everybody goes because it’s so cheap.” Goed added her thoughts. “Agreed. I think it’s harder in Austria. Like math classes and sports are more like a hobby there,” said Goed. “You practice two or three times a week and only have games not very often.” Even though, both student athletes are extremely busy and have little down time, they still find space in their schedules to touch base back home. Saundra said she calls her family every day. “I call my parents two or three times a week, my brother twice a week, and my friends. I try to talk to them three times a week. It’s hard to talk to them though, because they also have a life and are doing things that keep them busy too,” said Goed. The girls have missed family birthdays, holidays, and even celebrations such as Name Day. Name day is a celebration for you and the saint you were named after or share a name with. Goed explained, “It’s a christianity thing and Easter is celebrated more in Austria than here.” Neither Flau or Goed had ever celebrated Halloween until they came to America, however. Frau and Goed shared the perspective of what it is like to start a whole new life in a new country. It’s a step that requires courage, bravery, and belief in oneself. Both girls say moving to America was the best decision they have ever made. Being able to continue their education, improve their basketball skills, and become independent have all added together to enhance their confidence and to stay in America for their next few years of college. www.caspercollege.edu/chinook 33rd Annual Wellness Conference March 30 and 31 at Casper College Gateway Building March 30th is FREE to students, faculty, and staff and we would love to see you there! Casper College Counseling Services believes in the importance of offering professionals, students and interested community members opportunities to learn about a variety of topics related to both physical and mental health. Wellness Center’s Monthly Workshop Series Yoga for Emotional Balance Workshop Playing Smarter not Harder in Managing Anxiety Looking to elevate your emotional well-being and integrate practices that alleviate stress and help you feel grounded? Join the Wellness Center Friday, March 3 from 10-12 on the 2nd Floor of the Union for a free workshop providing tools to release chronic tension in the body and return to a state of wellness. Is anxiety impacting your life? Join us Wednesday, April 5th from 1-2 in UU 212 for a free workshop to learn practical strategies for managing anxiety, including tips for understanding thinking habits and overcoming testing anxiety! �March 1, 2023 Page 9 CHINOOK Humanities Festival: Veteran advocacy panel Photo Courtesy of Chris Houser The 2023 Casper College Humanities Festival took place in February. A panel of veteran advocates gathered to talk about connecting with the military community as a part of the Casper College Humanities Festival. Pictured from right to left is Chris Poe, a licensed professional counselor and director of the Casper Vet Center; Tisa Sucher, a licensed social worker with Natrona County Veterans Affairs VBO; Kelly Ivanoff, a Natrona County representative of the Wyoming Veterans Commission; Caleb Lindsay, Casper College Veterans Club president; and Dr. Nicholas Whipps, Casper College veteran and military student services coordinator. "We were able to give insight to the Veteran experience in areas such as mental and physical health, employment, education, and the work of the Wyoming Veterans Commission on the legislative front," Whipps said. "The goal of this session was to create a space for shared experiences and awareness as a platform in being an advocates for change." Taking online or hybrid courses? Students: We make sure you are able to access online learning resources needed to learn in your classes. We will also help you learn to utilize the digital tools available to you for all your classwork. Examples of items we can help with: 1. MyCCMoodle — including how to submit assignments, participate in forums, etc. 2. ZOOM – help you learn to access and use Zoom for your remote course meetings and collaborations 3. Google Suite — Google Docs, Drive, GMail, etc. 4. Accessing Office 365 .- such as MS Word and PowerPoint 5. Online tutoring — How and where to get extra help as you need it, using NetTutor. Plus a lot more! Contact us. Don’t wait! Get your Questions answered now. Teresa Pat Mike Tyler For help or more information stop by Liesinger Hall, room 132 or contact us at 307-268-3882, dlc@caspercollege.edu, and av@caspercollege.edu. Dave Camille � 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 2023-03 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. 2023-03 Description An account of the resource This is a copy of the online Chinook Newspaper from March 2023. 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_2023-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/6b39160362269016a4f21fd1d257d4b1.pdf 1694d30868ce2ec73b0cf8ae8db8f1d9 PDF Text Text April 1, 2023 Casper College’s Student Voice Since 1945 Food Pantry fights food insecurity Jacob Klaudt Chinook Writer JacobKlaudt/Chinook The Student Senate Food Pantry, located in room 409 of the Union/University buidling on CC's campus, opens its doors from 12-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 1-5 p.m. The Student Senate Food Pantry at Casper College provides nourishment and other necessities for students who may be battling food insecurity or just can’t find the time to sit down and have a meal. The US Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as the limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods, or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways. Inversely, access at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life characterizes food security. Given how grocery store prices rise all the time and the stereotypical college kids' financial situation, it's no wonder so many students scramble to find their next meals. “The purpose of our food pantry is to provide busy and overwhelmed students with meals, so they don’t have to choose between the phone bill or gas for their car and food,” said Devin Fulton, current Student Life Coordinator and Student Senate advisor at CC. Even though statistically Wyoming holds the title of one of the most food-secure states in the nation per the April 2021 issue of Agricultural Sciences, the March 2020 issue of Advances in Nutrition journal says that an estimated 41% of U.S. college students reported experiences of food insecurity. Food insecurity can present itself in multiple ways including trading food quality for quantity, skipping meals, and possessing insufficient funds and resources to buy healthy foods. “The food pantry has had sort of an avalanche effect by fighting food insecurity, which makes healthier students, which improves grades and academic performance and inevitably impacts the kind of community we have here at Casper College,” said Fulton. The CC website says that the pantry, located in room 409 of the Union/University building on campus, opens its doors from 12-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 1-5 p.m. on Fridays. The pantry welcomes all students once a week to grab eight food items and two personal hygiene products. The food pantry started when a CC alumnus approached Student Senate late in the fall of 2019. She gave a presentation on food insecurity and included information on how other colleges and universities around the country possess a pantry for food-deprived students. CC maintained no resources concerning food insecurity at that time, and student senators knew some action must take place. “The Student Senate that year was really won over by that presentation and wanted to help in any way that they could,” said Corey Peacock, former Student Senate advisor and current dean of students. — See Food Pantry Page 3 Rodeo and ag weather harsh winter Garrett Grochowski Chinook Writer Garrett Grochowskii/Chinook Frank Hodnett, a CC agriculture instructor, stands on a small snow drift while touring the Chinook around the college's ranch in Mills. Snow drifts blocked access to barns and roads, making this winter particularly challenging for faculty and students. Casper College’s rodeo team and agriculture department battled a particularly brutal winter at the off-campus ranch facility over winter break and beyond. The combined strength of students and faculty overcame the snow drifts blocking access to important roads and barns, and normal operations resumed. Trouble began at the ranch about a mile out of Mills around winter break. While most students were resting at home, the Casper College Rodeo Team was at its busiest. “In the summer, you know, kids leave and my end is more recruiting and seeing new talent and different things like that,” said Jhett Johnson, world champion team roper and CC’s head rodeo coach. “For the winter months here, we have our own indoor facility that we practice at -- 5 days a week we practice.” Access to the training facilities is vital for the rodeo team to maintain an edge over competition. However, practice wasn’t the only thing at stake for the students who depend on the facility. According to Johnson, the ranch houses many animals, including animals owned by students themselves. “There's roughly 50 calves between breakaway and calf-roping practice. There’s 40-head of team roping steers, and we keep some 50-head of bucking horses,” said Johnson. CC’s Agriculture Department also houses animals at the Mills location. “We also have a sheep flock out there that belongs to the ranch, but we use them in our programs. So, we’d feed the ewes and we were lambing during a lot of that time,” said Frank Hodnett, veteran ag instructor but new to the harsh winters of Wyoming. Hodnett, who began teaching his first year at CC in 2022, is no stranger to the world of agriculture. He taught for many years at New Mexico State University and worked with 4-H in the state as well, but Wyoming brings unique challenges. “I learned an important lesson,” said Hodnett. “It’s better to put up snow fence before the snow comes than it is to go out there and put it up after it’s here.” When the weather began to turn as the new year approached, fast winds and cold temperatures brought high volumes of snow that put a halt to many of the day-to-day activities on the ranch and temporarily kept students from feeding their animals. “It’s the first year we’ve ever had to battle it at all. I mean, it snows every winter but not like this. We’ve set records in the state of Wyoming, and with that did come challenges,” Johnson said. “We haven’t had a major snow for a while and there’s still some drifts.” And while snow drifts — See Snow Page 3 The friendly face behind the counter Kaley Pieper Chinook Writer Frank Fraker is a friendly face recognized by many Casper College students who frequent the Sub Connection and coffee carts on campus. But not many people know that Fraker is an alumnus of the college himself! Born and raised in Casper, Wyo., Frank graduated from Natrona County High School in 1970. Then, he attended CC for two years and majored in engineering. When reflecting on his time at CC, Fraker said, “The world is very different from what it was then. At that point, there was no internet, no cell phones, (and) no personal computers. Life has changed drastically since then. For one thing there’s a whole lot more buildings. When I was going to school here, the cafeteria was in the Strausner Building.” After Casper, he went on to University of Wyoming and graduated with his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. Work then led him to southern Louisiana where he lived for over 20 years. Fraker said he enjoyed his time in Louisiana, but it took him a while to get his bearings. “Here in Wyoming you can look up and see the mountains, and if you know the state you can figure out which way is north and figure out where you’re looking just by looking around you. But Southern Louisiana is so flat. The highest points are the bridges over the bayous. And there’s lots and lots of trees, so you can’t figure out north and south,” Fraker said. Compared to his home in Wyoming, Louisiana is different in many ways. But Fraker said he actually benefited from experiencing new ideas and landscapes. “It’s such a different culture down there, and I was lost for a while. It’s different but interesting. I highly recommend that everyone at some point moves away and lives in a different part of the country where there are different cultures and lifestyles,” said Fraker. “You don’t appreciate where you came from unless you’ve been someplace else. You don’t appreciate other places either until you’ve been there and experienced it. People who stay in their hometown their whole life are really missing something.” While living in Louisiana, Fraker didn’t necessarily spend his time putting his engineering degree to use. He instead did entrepreneurial work and jobs working in other industries. He sometimes worked jobs that were offshore and over odd hours. During this time, he developed a love for coffee. In New Orleans, there were many unique little coffee houses, which inspired him to open his own coffee shop when his mother’s declining health brought him back to the state of Wyoming. Their coffee house was called Coffee Shaman and was located in downtown Casper. “It was a combination Pieper/Chinook — See Fraker, Page 3 Frank Fraker serves students at CC's Sub Connection. Fraker is an alumnus Kaley of the college. �Page 2 Chinook Stance Divine's Intervention: Learn a second language Garrett Grochowski Growing With Grochowski The bane of many high school and college students is the dreaded required foreign language credit. Students spend long hours grueling over verb conjugations and vocab in preparation for a test, only to abandon all of that information as soon as the semester ends -- at least I hope I wasn’t alone in that feeling because it made many classes miserable for me. I took French in middle school and Russian in high school. And in college, I’m currently taking Spanish. I believe that gives me some degree of authority in talking about the benefits and pitfalls of language acquisition in a school setting. What I can’t tell you is how and why Spanish clicked for me so well when the other languages passed by me in a blur. I understand to an extent why Russian is likely difficult for everyone; even its alphabet is completely distinct from our own. But French, well French is just Spanish with more guttural throat punching. Perhaps studying a language seems more worthy of my attention now because I understand the values of learning a second. What are the potential benefits of learning a second language, and why is it worth your time? Well, I think for the average person, the positives outweigh the costs tenfold. In putting in the effort and time to learn, one creates access to a whole branch of culture, bulks up the resume, and cultivates a unique community of helpful friends. As my grasp of understanding the world around me expanded with age, I’ve realized that English– more specifically my dependency on it as my sole form of communication– puts me in a box. The influence of the English language in different parts of the world is vast, but reliance on it may limit the experiences a person can have traveling. For example, it would be much easier to get around certain parts of Africa if you knew how to speak French or Swahili than it would to just know English. There are aspects of cuisine, tradition, celebration, and other forms of culture unaccessible to the monolingual, and it's my belief that it's potentially disrespectful to rely on other people’s ability to translate for you to get around. In a more practical sense, being bilingual opens up avenues for career opportunities that aren’t afforded to purely English speakers. I can’t speak much to this because I’m only a college student, but I’ve been poking around Indeed.com, and the water is looking fine. Especially for me, a journalism major, having the ability to communicate in another language is very handy. I think most importantly, and what I can attest to being the most important benefit of learning a second language, is the community in which you entrench yourself. The value of learning a second language doesn’t lie only in being able to communicate with people who have lived lives completely different than yours in a vastly different place. Being able to form connections with your fellow learners is what makes the process of learning a second language so very special to me. I think there's something beautiful about not knowing what you’re doing, and relying on the person next to you to know even though they don't know either. Of course, they’re relying on you for the same reason – that’s community. I think it's different from learning other skills because, for the most part, when you are learning something you have some basic knowledge to start. Basic knowledge gives everyone a different starting point that disrupts the sensation of true unity. Maybe you know some basic phrases at the beginning of whatever language you’re learning, but you nor anyone around you is ready to be left alone in a conversation with a native speaker. I look back on the few months I’ve been in college– how I’ve grown, how my values have changed, the friends I’ve made– and I can say with certainty that Spanish played the biggest role in changing me the past year. I’m not especially great at making friends. I think I could count on two hands the amount of friends I’ve made since August. The majority of those people and the bonds I cherish most have been a result of learning a second language. Being a part of the same process, wishing so hard that you just had all the concepts down, and being there for each other when you don’t is, to me, why learning a second language is so great. For the college student in a whole new community far away from home, I think this is your ticket to social prosperity. April 1, 2023 CHINOOK “ Well…. It is finally here, at least by the calendar…. Spring! Even though it has been a long, cold, and snowy winter, I assure you the end of the semester will be here before you know it. The close of the semester signifies the end of one period of time and the beginning of another. For some of us that transition is simply from one calendar season to another while for others the change is more significant; involving the movement from one season of life to another. No matter the magnitude of change you will be experiencing, I urge you to embrace the experi- ences on both sides of the transition. Be sure to cherish the final moments of your current experience, and then welcome and embrace the new events yet to come. All too often we find ourselves “wishing away” our lives; either wishing winter would end, summer would arrive, the semester will end, etc.. Unfortunately, such wishing is simply impatience in disguise and prohibits living in the moment, and thus robbing us of the full experience of our daily lives. My reminder to you, and my plea: Life is short – hold every minute dear and experience all you can! Unfortunately, such wishing is simply impatience in disguise and prohibts living in the moment, thus robbing us of the full experience of our daily lives. — Darren Divine, Ph.D., Casper College President Embrace Differences My whole life revolves around the livestock industry. Since my youth, my one true passion in this world has been beef cattle and things like their nutrition, how to breed them, their physiology, etc. This passion does not make me unique, but my background certainly does. I did not grow up on a farm or ranch and have no familial ties to the industry. My father mines coal, and my mother organizes trips for air travelers. My closest links to agriculture include my grandpa’s past career as a custom combiner and my grandma who barrel raced in high school. Despite all of this, I’ve known from a young age that running my own set of cows embodies what I want to do with my life. I recognize this goal seems lofty and maybe even unattainable given start-up costs, but I am still extremely optimistic even with people’s doubts and resentments directed toward me. My first experiences with cattle were with my dad. Lots of his coworkers not only held down jobs at the mines but also managed their own commercial cow/calf operations, so we received invitations to help out quite often. I distinctly remember pushing cattle up alleyways, helping gather big groups of cows on the four-wheeler, wrestling calves during brandings in the spring, and riding shotgun while hauling pairs to summer grass. These experiences legitimately make up some of my fondest childhood memories. Eventually, my journey with cattle evolved and I got involved in 4-H and FFA where I was introduced to livestock judging. Livestock judging tasks contestants with placing four animals of the same species from best to worst and then defending that placing through a formal set of oral reasons. My early experiences in judging inevitably started deepening my understanding of the cattle industry as a whole. After my first practice as a junior 4-Her, I felt hooked. It seemed like the only thing in my life that came naturally and didn’t require a ton of initial practice like football, cornhole, or really anything athletic. Judging instilled a high degree of newfound confidence in not only my ability to speak in front of others but in myself as a whole. I became so happy to be good at something that involved my one, true passion. I also got involved with a purebred Simmental producer from my community who took me under her wing and gave me all sorts of opportunities to gain experience and even more understanding. I made the 20-minute drive to her place almost every day throughout middle and high school to simply learn more by doing. Even outside of my time on her ranch, I turned into a sponge and couldn’t read enough articles, watch enough videos, or talk to enough local producers about their different cattle philosophies. This fresh confidence and deepened interest that was celebrated by my parents and ag teachers inversely soured Ella Meyer Ella's Elaborations Wyoming boasts a rich history of ranching and rodeos. From cowboys, to livestock showers, and farmers, Wyoming houses a large community of people involved in agriculture. This includes the rodeos and horse shows that go on year around. Many people travel miles just to compete in a rodeo or horse show, and many others travel farther just to come and witness such an event. But, with growing modernization and the rise of animal rights groups, many people think that rodeos should be a thing of the past. Organizations like People for Ethical Treatment of Animals and American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals fight against rodeos and say that the events are a breeding ground for animal mistreatment and cruelty. The Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association is going to great lengths to disprove such accusations, but rodeos have been banned in California, Rhode Island, and in parts of Nevada. Though this fight is not new, I don’t think that it will be over soon. Growing up on a ranch gave me plenty of insight into rodeos, horse shows, and the ins and outs of horse training. My dad, being a horse trainer himself, often entered horse shows for fun, or just to see how far along the horse he had trained had come. He, along with many other cowboys, have some exasperated arguments against the some of my peers. Ag kids who I considered friends or thought were at least good buddies confused my beaming self-assurance for arrogance and undeserving vanity. The fact that I did not grow up on a ranch amplified my lack of credibility in their eyes when talking about cattle, even in passing conversations. Consequently, those people gossiped about and ostracized me from their group. This experience hurt me a lot. I couldn’t understand for the longest time why it mattered so much that I was not like them. I didn’t get why my passion, as an “outsider”, was so wrong to them. I struggled with selfacceptance. I questioned my whole life and passion up to this point. I put up a wall and vowed I would never resent someone who cared about the industry as much as I do, no matter their background. In high school and even early parts of my college experience, I looked past, overthought, and turned down opportunities that seemed to be for people who weren’t like me and that had a “regular” start in the cattle industry. I almost skipped out on attending Casper College because my mind told me that people like myself fail. I felt like a huge fraud until I actually got to school and interacted with kids who assumed we shared the same upbringing. It felt amazing when some people couldn’t believe I came from a non-agricultural environment originally. I still sometimes let thoughts of self-doubt into my Jacob Klaudt Keepin' Up With Klaudt head but am always battling those notions through a pretty awesome support network consisting of my family, friend group, and significant other, all of whom constantly remind me of my value. It also helps hearing stories of livestock industry legends, like Tyson Rule, who worked his way from being a copier machine salesman to being the breeder of the world’s highestselling buck lamb. To make a long story short, never hate on someone’s excitement or passion just because their origin story differs from the norm. Don’t feel threatened by their enthusiasm. Instead, answer their questions and encourage their success. Society is plenty progressive in recent times in terms of breaking down harmful norms and accepting others for who they are. I think now is the time to start genuinely evaluating a person’s character and value solely on the skills and knowledge they possess rather than where they come from. Culture or Cruelty? accusation that rodeos are a cruel environment for animals. PETA’s main arguments against rodeos is the use of spurs and how sharp and dangerous they are for the animal below them. However, any horse trainer worth his salt would tell you that the regulation spurs used in shows are rendered useless when used to condition a horse. These spurs are so dull, that some children even use them on their playmates when they ride each other around. Most of the sharp spurs that the people from PETA see are the ones used in movies, or in Hollywood. These are obviously dramatized for the big screen and in no world would anyone use those spurs on a horse they planned to keep around for long. Another complaint is the use of bucking straps and electronic prods in the shoots. For those who do not know, a bucking strap is used in the bronc riding and bull riding events. This tool is simply put on the horse or bull to make them kick higher into the air. In no way does this hurt them, though their manic bucking and honking would give off the impression that they are hurt. However, if these animals so wished, they could kill the rider on their back at any time. They also talk of the use of electronic prods, which are used to get battle out of shoots. But these tools need the consent of the livestock owner to use, confirmation from the vet that the animal is healthy enough to take the shock, and consent from the fairgrounds president to use it on the animal. This is simply a way to make sure that the cow it’s being used on is not hurt or maimed in the process. But oftentimes, if they are stuck in the shoot and not getting out, it could be dangerous for them to try and back up or hop out. Most of the rules and regulations set in place at rodeos are for the animals’ safety and well-being. ASPCA claims the animals used in rodeos are mistreated and malnourished. This is simply not true. The broncs that the PRCA uses are fed the highest quality hay and grain, and over the course of the year, they are in the ring for seven minutes of their life. Eight second rides are not long, and those rides the animals are “forced to suffer through” add up to seven minutes of their rather pampered lives. Often these horses are set out to pasture and never touched again until it comes time to put them in the ring. The same principle applies to the cows used for the bull riding events, as they too are pampered for the majority of their adult lives. If you are still not convinced rodeos are not inherently cruel, here are a few statistics to ease your red-hot rage. According to AVMA.org, in 2022 an article titled Welfare of animal rights integral part of professional rodeos says that out of 26,584 performances, only 15 animals have been injured -- a 0.00041% rate. Additionally, the PRCA has had animal welfare regulations since 1947. The organization constantly updates and changes the rules to fit the times and the people watching rodeos. Taking away rodeos from the contestants and spectators is a poor decision. Rodeos make $3 billion annually, which funds many jobs and animal welfare. Many people make a living in rodeo, and you would be taking away a way of life. Either way, taking away rodeo’s from Wyoming specifically would be taking away a part of the heritage and culture of the state, and many would miss out on the opportunity to witness it. And if you think that they are unsafe now, wait until the illegal ones start up. Rodeos with no regulation to keep the animal safe, would lead to many more problems and injuries. Legal, and well-regulated rodeos are better for all involved. All in all -- no -- rodeos are not cruel. Rodeos feature a rich part of our history in the west, and it will continue to be part of the culture behind the cowboy way of life. �April 1, 2023 Page 3 CHINOOK Food Pantry........................................... With no physical space available for the pantry, the Student Senate president's office became the designated room. Then COVID hit. While students were sent home for quarantine in March of 2020, Peacock and other Student Life staff dedicated many hours to clearing the room, building shelves, and preparing the office for food storage. The pantry opened in the fall of 2020, running off of initial donations from the community and multiple CC staff lead food drives. Food drives serve as an integral part of food procurement for the pantry. CC requires that clubs on campus participate in either a student-based activity or a food drive. Most organizations choose the latter. Fulton said, “We’ve already received so many canned goods from these drives, which is great, but canned vegetables are hard to fuel up on for the student who is on the go.” The pantry also offers a wide array of food choices including cups of noodles to granola bars and even fresh pheasant meat. Personal hygiene supplies include menstrual products, deodorant, toothpaste, and even toilet paper. “Popular items that are quick and of need include pasta, macaroni and cheese, hot pockets, and instant rice,” Fulton said. The food pantry is staffed by Student Life work-study students that help stock the shelves and show students how to utilize the resource. These work studies have witnessed, firsthand, the kind of impact the pantry is having on other CC attendees. “A lot of the kids who come from on-campus just get the snack type stuff,” said McKinley Kessler, Student Life work-study and sophomore at CC. “But the people I see, usually every week, are off-campus students that come and get stuff for their actual meals. For many of those people, I think it's part of what they eat primarily throughout the week.” Peacock can also recall times of helping non-traditional students take advantage continued from page 1 of the resource to not only benefit themselves but their families as well. “It can be difficult for those students to make ends meet while they’re going to school and working and still having to balance a family in the mix,” Peacock said. “Having just a little bit of help in the food, grocery, and toiletry item department truly made a big difference for them.” Still, some students seem reluctant to make use of the pantry due to potential judgment from their peers. “That kind of stigma can be a big issue with any resource that the campus offers,” said Kessler. “Try it once and even if you don’t like your experience, no one is going to judge you.” The Student Senate Food Pantry at CC continues to impact students for the better. Whether someone needs a quick snack between classes or questions where their next meal is coming from, the pantry functions to supply all T-Birds with even the most basic item of human need: food. Snow........................................................ continued from page 1 Fraker...................................................... continued from page 1 may seem like a minor inconvenience in town, Johnson and Hodnett insisted that the drifts out at the ranch were indomitable. According to Hodnett, the entirety of the south road leading to the ranch had to be abandoned because the snow piled up along lines of trees. They utilized snow blowers and a tractor with a bucket and thankfully the north road remained functional. The north road became the sole way students and faculty accessed the ranch. Along the road turning into the ranch, the drift was especially prominent. Johnson said, “I suppose that drift was – well it was way taller than me, and I’m 6’ 4”! I’m betting it was eight feet.” But battling the snow was critical. Buried behind the piles of snow were the sole entry points to animals that needed to be fed and kept warm. “When it’s really, really cold, if you're lambing or calving, there’s opportunity to lose your animals because they froze to death,” Hodnett said. After birth, newborn animals are at risk of getting frostbite and losing extremities such as ears, Hodnett said. He feels lucky that there is ample indoor space to lamb and keep the animals warm. Despite the challenges imposed by eight-foot drifts and high winds, the labor of students and staff kept the facility running. “They’re all country kids,” said Johnson. “This has been an unbearable winter, but all these kids have lived through it before. They grew up in ranching and farming communities. They’ve seen snow and drought and hardship, and so it’s amazing how they handle it… they just took a hold and did it.” Hodnett reflected on the help the agriculture program and rodeo teams received from the college fondly. coffee expresso bar and new age books. It was a great experience. I met lots of great people. It was fun. We lasted a couple years, we just didn’t make it. Casper can be hard to start a small business, and I applaud those people still doing it. Especially with all the big chains moving in. It also gave me basic coffee experience, which helped prepare me for working here for Sodexo.” After the closing of the Coffee Shaman, Fraker worked a few jobs in customer service, shipping and receiving, and for Sodexo. But after officially “retiring” at 65, he took “We are really blessed to be a part of Casper College because the maintenance crews were out there, and they busted through it, and they kept a dump truck out there so they could keep the roads open for us,” said Hodnett. In the tough and wild worlds of rodeo and agriculture, no day is the same and being prepared for anything is a must. Moving snow, as simple as it may seem, may be an important real-world experience to better prepare students for the world. “When those kinds of things happen, really it’s kind of a life lesson in a lot of things, you know? Don’t put off tomorrow what you can do today, ‘cause you don’t know what kind of storm you’re gonna get that next day,” said Hodnett. "I think they’re all lessons that they (students) can learn and adapt to their everyday lives, really. There's education in more than books and sitting in Garrett Grochowski/Chinook A snow drift buries a fence at Casper College’s off-campus ranch facility near Mills. a classroom.” some time off before deciding to come back to work for Sodexo. “I decided I really should be doing something to keep me active, both mentally and physically. So, I came back to Sodexo. I’m not full time, haven’t been for several years, but it works. I live close so I can walk to and from work and always stay busy,” Fraker said. Many students refer to Fraker as “sub shop Frank” and appreciate his positive, upbeat attitude while working behind the counter. A CC alumni visiting the campus even remembered Fraker asking, “Is Frank still working in the sub shop?” But Frank’s goal in the position isn’t to move up the chain of command and make a career out of Sodexo. He likes to think of it more as a service to the college. “I try to be really upbeat and say hello to everybody -- say thank you as they check out and things like that. It can be tiring some days, but I still try," Fraker said. I’m just here helping, trying to keep things flowing, and trying to keep people, a little happy. Whether it’s getting them food or saying something silly to get them to crack a smile. Life is stressful. You don’t need a grouchy person trying to sell you your sandwich.” Frank’s time at Casper and in Louisiana helped prepare him for his current role. Through his different jobs, he says he has learned to build flexibility into himself. He’s not doing what he ever dreamed he would be doing. Where he ended up isn’t where he thought he would go. “In my parent’s generation, they got a job and stayed there their whole life. That’s not where we are now. For most people, they’re going to move on and be in different places, jobs, and experiences. Which I think is good. You really get a more rounded appreciation of what others are going through, and how other people live, and just the broadness and diversity.” His steps in life have been diverse, and he wanted to give students some advice from his years of experiencing different jobs and areas. Fraker said, “If I would offer any advice to current students, it would be to be ready for the change. I am sure in the next 50 years, there will be as much change as there was in the last 50. Life has a way of ebbing and flowing. Things change, but then again they don’t." www.caspercollege.edu/chinook �Page 4 April 1, 2023 Hit and runs on campus dent student plans Carlos Fandal III Chinook Writer Casper College is being hit by a string of hit and run incidents, leaving students and staff concerned about the safety of their vehicles on campus. Over the past year, several incidents of vehicles hitting parked cars and fleeing the scene occurred, leaving the owners of the damaged cars with no recourse. Adrianna Sutton, a CC student and hit and run victim, unfortunately felt the sting of the crime. Despite following standard practice of reporting the crime to campus security and Casper PD, Sutton’s perpetrator, like many others, was never identified. “It was really surprising to me that there were no cameras that could see what happened, I feel like there should be more cameras around campus.” Sutton said. Installing more cameras around campus, particularly in parking lots, could effectively prevent and catch hit-and-run incidents. CC’s Campus Safety and Security Coordinator, John CHINOOK Becker, a former law enforcement agent of 35 years, shared valuable information with the Chinook. “In 2022, we had eight crash reports on campus. And four of them were hit and runs. This year, we've had five (crash) reports so far, and one of them was a hit and run” said Becker, who’d prepared reports for the interview. Becker listed a handful of ideas on why CC is prone to the odd hit and run. “I think a lot of it is the driver not paying attention to surroundings. We have very small parking areas, you know, we have a lot of them. We try to cram a lot of cars in their workspaces and everything else,” said Becker. When a car gets hit and the other driver leaves the scene, it can be a very stressful and confusing situation for the victim. The victim may experience a range of problems, such as having to pay for repairs out of pocket and/or having to navigate the legal system on their own. Becker detailed what steps one should take if involved in a hit and run. “The easiest thing is to call security. We will do everything we can to do a report and get the information we can for you. If we have a camera in the area, we work well with (the) Casper Police Department and local law enforcement agencies. We will give them any information we have on the suspect vehicle that took off. If we can read a plate or get a model or anything else, we will document that report through what we call a ‘maximum report’. We tell the students to get the Casper Police Department to file a crash report with them.” Additionally, Becker wanted to remind students to be mindful when driving. “The speed limit on campus is 20. And you'll see cars that are traveling, you know, well over the 20 mile limit in the lower campus. Be aware of that -- be aware of your speed -- don't text and drive. You would be surprised how many students get in their cars, they're getting out of there, and they're looking at their phone. Because ‘I haven't been on my phone for an hour,’ or, whatever it may be. Don't text Carlos Fandal III/Chinook Hit and runs can be an overwhelming headache for all involved. Incidents seem to be on the rise on Casper College's Campus. and drive, pay attention to your driving and know your surroundings, know what's going on, (and) drive defensively.” The hit and run incidents at Casper College are a cause for concern among students and staff, who rightfully expect a safe and secure campus envi- ronment. As Becker pointed out, it is essential to take steps to prevent such incidents from occurring, including paying attention to surroundings, following speed limits, and not texting while driving. Additionally, victims of a hit and run need to report the inci- dent to campus security and law enforcement agencies as soon as possible. By working together to prevent these incidents and holding perpetrators accountable, Casper College will be a safe and secure place for all who study and work here. �April 1, 2023 Page 5 CHINOOK Laughter the best medicine? Ella Meyer Chinook Writer Dr. Chontelle Gray started laughter yoga a little over four years ago, and she never looked back. It started during COVID - 19, when she found herself bored during lockdown. Gray’s interest began when she first took a yoga class through her college. Since then, she’s practiced and instructed yoga for 20 years, and she just recently found her passion for Medan Kataria’s ‘laughter yoga.’ The practice of laughter yoga started around the 1960’s, and Kataria wrote a book on his studies in 2002. Gray, having been raised Hindu, said she found no problem in getting into such practice and found herself joining laughter clubs at 6:45 in the morning Monday through Thursday. She said she takes the time to gather with the people in her club and laugh. The concept of ‘laughter yoga’ is foreign to most. To many the term sounds strange and out of place. When the majority of people think of yoga, they think of a quiet practice with soft music of the instructor’s choosing. But, Kataria’s studies found that laughter truly is the best medicine. Gray noted that when someone laughs, the act is proven to release endorphins and reduce cortisol. “It’s good to let that crap go,” she said. Gray also talked about how adults are inherently serious, and they don’t like to have fun anymore. They often think they are too grown for laughter and fun, so they keep everything in until it does harm to their body. Laughter yoga has provided a way for those who have forgotten to let go, an opportunity to find their inner child once again. Gray explained that humans hold all of our stress in our body. It is also described in Kataria’s exploration of laughter, that 10 minutes of straight laughing is the best way to get any real health benefits out of it. When such knowledge spread, ‘laughter clubs’ started popping up around the world. At the very beginning members would tell jokes to make one another laugh, though the strategy proved ineffective after a short time due to differences in humor. Kataria found another way to get through a session in one of his post grad classes. An improvisation class that provided the necessary exercises to make everyone laugh for the whole session paved the way to laughter yoga’s success today. Gray praised the effectiveness of the yoga, talking about one of her first experiences with the therapeutic properties of laughter. During the Tarzan show during Covid-19 at Casper College, the actor playing Turk caught coronavirus. Upon being told that the actor was out, Gray said her first instinct was to panic and freak out. But, she took five minutes to go out on stage and laugh to herself about the problem. Once she calmed down, she broke the news to everyone else. Before they could freak out and lose their minds, she had them all laugh for five minutes at the situation. “Laughter helps ground you in a state of panic,” Gray said. This is proven by the state of calm that she experienced after the Tarzan incident. This is also backed up by the 53 country’s that practice laughter yoga regularly. It helps to be able to laugh at the situation when facing it head on, because it's a reminder that it’s not as serious as it might seem. And she hasn’t looked back since that experience. Gray reminisced on the first time she discovered laughter yoga. She talked about how she had watched many videos explaining and going through the exercises to laugh, but she never tried to laugh out loud before joining a session. She talked about how she was never someone who laughed out loud, no matter how funny she found something. But, laughter yoga seemed to turn that around for her. Gray explained her growth in the practice of laughter yoga. “Through laughter yoga, I have embraced my natural laugh, though I am still not a loud laughter.” Now, she leads her own classes of laughter yoga and continues to expand her knowledge in other types of movement, such as chair yoga and meditation. However, there are some students at Casper College who took a laughter yoga session, and did not agree with the effectiveness of the session. Alex Brus, a musical theater major at CC, took part in a laughter yoga session in the fall semester of 2022. He talked about expressing an interest in meditation, but this was out of his comfort zone. Though he had previously tried meditation, he hadn’t done any yoga classes leading up to the experience, and he was going in having no idea what was going to happen. Beforehand, he was informed that the class was going to partake in a session, but this was all he knew before he was taken into the yoga classroom and instructed through the process. “It was very off-putting, and not everyone was participating, so it was a very weird experience,” said Brus. Brus talked about how most in the class were not sure how to take Ella Meyer/Chinook it all in, some laughing more Dr. Chontelle Gray leads laughter yoga at Casper College. because they felt awkward Grey says that laughter relaeses stress in the body. rather than they were compelled to. Though he only par- session, she is less stressed and new people. She discovered ticipated in one of the laughter burdened, and she feels lighter laughter yoga after joining the yoga sessions, he said he thinks than before. Davis participates theater department, and has he could try it again to see if he in the theater at CC, and often tried to join every one after might eventually like it. Brus the theater provides some that. said he recognizes the health stress that needs a place to go. “If more professors knew properties of laughter and real- She also expressed that she the benefits of it, they would izes that it helps many people, feels closer to her peers after take their classes to do it … but overall the experience was a session. it’s a nice way to boost mental not for him. “It’s kind of hard to put up health.” Davis recommends Not everyone who took part a wall when everyone gets to laugh yoga to anyone feeling in a session shares the same see you laugh,” Davis said. stressed and overwhelmed, sentiments. Rebecca Davis, an Though she does feel closer even going as far as to recASL major at CC participated with her classmates after a ommend that professors take in three laughter yoga classes session, it did not always feel their classes to a session. This in the last two years. Davis that way. Her first laughter would also help to alleviate has an interest in yoga, and session helped break the classroom tension and stress. she even does morning yoga in ice after she had moved to A chance to try out laughter the summer when she has the Wyoming from Oregon, com- yoga is on April 5 at 5 p.m. in time. Davis pelled to change her lifestyle the theater building on the main spoke highly about the ses- after living in Oregon for 21 stage of the theater. There is no sions Gray offered. She talked years. This helped connect need for any special clothes or about how after a laughter yoga her with her peers, and meet a yoga mat. Day in the life of CC dancers William G Eastin Chinook Writer William G Eastin/Chinook CC dancers Abigale Lipson holds Mckenzi Pieper while dancing in the Krampert Center for Theatre and Dance. Mckenzi Pieper and Abigale Lipson are both students majoring in dance at Casper College. Between dance classes, general education courses, rehearsals and shows, CC dancers live a drastically different life than that of a typical student. Starting bright and early, Pieper and Lipson wake up to the sound of their alarm at 7 a.m. In the short hour they have before class, both dancers' morning routine usually consists of getting dressed, eating a quick and easy breakfast, as well as stretching and using a massage ball to prepare their bodies for the physically enduring day ahead of them. “The purpose for stretching and using my massage ball is both to combat soreness from the physicality of dance, as well as to prepare for the day by opening up all of my muscles,” stated Lipson. By 8 a.m. the dancers are already in their first dance class, composition. Pieper stated, “We get two to three projects per week where we must choreograph our own dance off of a prompt from our teacher”. Nearing 10 a.m. both leave the dance studio to attend one of their general education courses before they head back to the studio by 11 a.m. for ballet. Balancing dance classes with general education courses is a big struggle many dancers face. “Dance is overall very strenuous both physically and mentally, so with the short amount of time we have off, we are either catching up in one of our classes or we are so tired we just want to go to bed,” stated Lipson. Ballet is a course that all dancers are required to take every semester. This form of dance promotes an increase in flexibility, muscle growth, and balance (Lipson). With Ballet ending at 1 p.m., Pieper and Lipson use the time they have before their next class to eat lunch, as well as practice their choreography from their morning composition class. Their final class of the day, ensemble, starts at 3:30 p.m. Ensemble consists of both dancing and classroom work, with an emphasis on group collaboration (Lipson). On the rare occasion when neither have rehearsal or an actual dance show, both spend the majority of their night, “catching up on schoolwork, relaxing and reflecting on the day, and then thinking what we need to do tomorrow and preparing for that,” said Pieper. However, the majority of their time after school is spent rehearsing for a show or performing said show. This takes around two to four hours of their night away, and the dancers usually don’t get home until 10 p.m. (Pieper). Pieper and Lipson only have a small amount of time to balance schoolwork and self-care during their nightly routines. “Using exercises like affirmations, I find self-care to be very important because dance can take a toll on your mental health,” Lipson said. In order to be physically and mentally prepared for the day ahead, both dancers try to be in bed around midnight, which allows them to get enough needed sleep to start the day again. Join our staff this Fall! 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 �Page 6 April 1, 2023 CHINOOK HYA shapes students and future educators Kaylee Davis Chinook Writer The HYA also known as the Help Yourself Academy hosted its annual third to fifth grade showcase on March 22. The showcase offers a time for students selected by their teachers who show a desire in math and science to present their skills and demonstrate to their parents, friends, and faculty members from Casper College their projects they have completed. Over 200 students and family members attended, in addition to several CC administrators and faculty members. Casper College President Dr. Divine, Dean of Social and Behavioral Sciences Dr. Pete Van Houten, and Education Instructors Renee Griffith,and Jenny Johnson, all attended along with, HYA mentors, and the founder, Mr. John Wold. With only two HYA programs in the United States - one in Casper and one in New York- the program gave students an opportunity to “be engaged with math and science and encourage learning through hands on applications and project-based learning while encouraging those students to study and be excited about it.” stated Renee Griffith. The HYA program runs in the fall and spring semester, helping an average of 60-70 students per semester for eight weeks. Eligible students come from the Natrona County School District and are nominated by their teacher, whether or not they are gifted in math and science does not play a role in who is eligible to come. However, those students chosen show an interest in those fields and strive to learn more. Every Tuesday and Wednesday from 4:30-5:30 p.m. the third and fifth grade students are bussed to the physical science building on the CC Campus. From there, they participate in STEM activities, and work in the math and science department with project-based learning. Once they begin their lessons at the college, they are split between their current grades in school, and each classroom of students has a current or former elementary education instructor. In addition to the instructor, education degree seeking students are encouraged to volunteer or can participate for 1 credit per semester which is paid for by the Wold Family Foundation. To earn the credit, college students come in the classrooms and help guide the students, as well as learn hands on how to manage a classroom, lessons, and more. Jenny Johnson, an educator instructor at CC is also in charge of running the HYA program. She spoke of the impact the elementary students and the program has on the college students. According to Johnson, “College kids have made comments like ‘I didn’t really know I wanted to be in education until I went there and fell in love.’ Not only that, but I see a lot of difference from interaction in students I’ve had come in from beginning of the fall to spring, and they have had to build that relationship with the kids. And I can see their interactions with them and in the classroom change.” Along with learning math and science, the elementary students can learn coding, but in an unplugged way. With this method, students can follow a pattern, or code, to create something such as a bracelet. This version of coding allows other elementary students the option to learn while being away from technology, explained Johnson. Another goal of the program is the ability to track students after they graduate the program in fifth grade and see how involved they stay in their interests. Johnson said that former participants who are now college mentors share that they were once a child in the program. The hope is to one day take the information to see what students were interested in the most, (math or science), what electives they took in high school, and what their career choice will be. While the HYA program gives the elementary students a great opportunity to learn and be more hands on, it teaches our world’s future educators as well. Any student majoring in K-12 education are welcome to become mentors, and along with them, students majoring in math can come to teach lessons, which count as service learning time. Lastly, anyone who is not an education major but is interested in working with students or finding out if they would like to become a future educator is welcome to join, even for a day! The goal of having college students’ mentor is that it allows them to be “engaged, question, and guide the children, observe how they learn and how strategies are used to manage classroom behavior. Casper students serve as mentors for the elementary students but are still learning from the teachers,” Griffith said. This gives these students the hands-on opportunities to see what all goes into teaching, while learning from the students and having firsthand advice from the main classroom teachers. Winter Leywis, a college mentor shared what she liked about participating in the program. “One teacher here is retired and other teachers have different experiences, along with Jenny, and all have different inputs for how they handle things from lessons to management. Not everyone pays attention to what goes on behind the scenes and I feel teachers need more credit than they do. I had an observation teacher put it as: doctors and lawyers rule the world, but everyone neglects to see who teaches these kids. Where would the world be without teachers?” Along with her, Madison Allen, a first-time mentor, and Charisma Gallagher who has participated for two semesters, also had positive things to say about the impact HYA and the students have had on them and their future. Allen explained what she enjoys about the program. Allen said, “For me, I enjoyed working with kids that don’t understand science or math as well, but they are able to incorporate it into their Submitted Photos Above, CC student Hayley Tennant works with elementary kids. To the right, mentor Sarah Denton helps with an HYA activity. lesson for the day. Such as when they are hands on when building a marble track. They don’t realize that there’s math to it, but they understand the process.” Allen also explained that being in the classroom has helped her learn how to “redirect focus, work on and figure out classroom management skills, and learned how to ask engaging questions that get the kids to think and engage with us.” Gallagher’s future includes being a high school math instructor. “This program has solidi- fied me being a teacher, even though I wanted to change at first, but I realized this is what I want to do.” Not only does it help her in the classroom, but she also has an appreciation for how hard teachers work in the classroom now that she has worked from their point of view. While Leywis knew she always wanted to do elementary education, she first thought kindergarten would be her specialty. Then, the relationships that she built with the students, the humor they bring, and the interactions between her and the students in the upper classes shed light to her decision to now do K-4th grade, because as she said, “you are able to learn from those kids every day.” For college students interested in helping at HYA, the program will begin again in the fall of 2023. HYA offers a chance to not only learn from the instructors, but the students themselves. Join in on one of the nation’s two John Wold Help Yourself Academy and work on helping to shape yourself, educators, and future society a more knowledgeable and hands on world. Anxiety Workshop Presented by the Casper College Wellness Center Learn more about the nature of anxiety, along with both physical and cognitive strategies to help you manage your symptoms and reduce the impact that anxiety has in your life, especially in the testing environment. Wednesday, April 5 1 - 2 p.m. UU 212 Snacks will be provided! Email Kelly Green at kelly.green@caspercollege.edu to sign up! �April 1, 2023 Page 7 CHINOOK Mammoth Day At Tate Geological Museum Kaley Pieper/ Chinook On Saturday, March 11, “Dee” the Mammoth was star of the show for the event held to promote Tate Geological Museum. Casper College staff and community members alike brought their kids and families for a fun day of learning. JP Cavigelli, museum collections specialist, and Russell Hawley, education specialist helped teach kids about the discovery of Dee. Director of the museum, Dalene Hodnett, helped organize the event, and gave each kid a poster of Dee before they left. In addition to learning about the discovery of Dee, attendees toured the museum gallery. This free event open to the public was held from 10 am - 2 pm. The kids above had a great time learning about Dee, and they worked together to assemble this puzzle of his skeleton. �Page 8 CHINOOK ‘Little steps to the big picture’ April 1, 2023 CC student shares her struggle with bulimia and her path to recovery Lucy Jane Crimm Chinook Writer Between 10% and 20% of women and 4% and 10% of men in college suffer from an eating disorder, according to the National Eating Disorders Association. Casper College Fire Science Major McKinsey Jerrel is one of many college students who battled with an eating disorder. Jerrel developed Bulimia her freshman year of high school, and she started recovery her freshman year of college. “I am in recovery from Bulimia, I would eat and then make myself throw up,” Jerrel said. “Eventually it got to the point where my body couldn’t handle food, so it would automatically throw up [after eating].” According to the Mayo Clinic, Bulimia nervosa is a diagnosable eating disorder characterized by eating food followed by purging with the goal to lose the calories gained. Purging to lose calories comes in different forms: intentionally throwing up, misusing laxatives, dietary supplements and diuretics. Other common diagnosable eating disorders include anorexia nervosa and binge eating. Anorexia is when a person intentionally restricts calorie intake to control body weight. A binge eating disorder is when someone regularly consumes large amounts of food and feels unable to stop. “There are diagnosable disorders like anorexia and bulimia, then there’s a huge range of what we call disordered eating behaviors that would fit the majority of college students,” Director of Counseling Erin Ford said. “I would say a lower percentage [of college students] have diagnosable eating disorders, but a much larger percentage falls under the spectrum of disordered eating behaviors” Disordered eating develops into an eating disorder when unhealthy diets and exercise occur over a long period of time and start to disrupt the health and lifestyle of a person. “It really stems around somebody’s need or desire to control their body, body image [and] how they feel about themselves,” Ford said. “It can look so many different ways. It can look like restricting eating, obsessing over numbers, or restricting eating over a long period of time and then binge eating. There’s a lot of different things that it can incorporate, and it really is on an individual basis.” In Jerrel’s case, she developed an eating disorder after years of bullying lowered her self-image to the point where she felt the only way she would fit in and get people to leave her alone was by changing her body. “I would get told that I was a fat cow and didn’t deserve to live. I was told that I was too big and I’ll never be enough. ‘Looking the way you do, I don’t know how anyone would want to be your friend’ or ‘Your family doesn’t love you.’ Someone once said ‘Looking like that no wonder why your brother shot himself,’” Jerrel recalled. “There was this one person who every day I would walk through the hall… and they would moo at me like a cow and say ‘Oh look the cow’s back,’ ‘Oh look the heifer’s back,’ ‘Take them to the slaughter house and get some meat.’ It was really stupid stuff like that.” Jerrel’s brother passed away her freshman year of high school and the following year is when her eating disorder really took a turn for the worst. She said bullying, friend groups and relationships all contributed, but social media played a large role in her worsening disorder. “Social media had a really big impact along with bullying,” Jerrel said. “Opening up Instagram and seeing all of these tiny, tiny people in the smallest clothes like crop tops, miniskirts and bikinis with no stomach whatsoever-- these people who had the ‘ideal body.’ Then people doing plastic surgeries and not telling anyone about it, but then coming out years later and saying they had it done. I just felt like why can't I? A lot of it had to do with influencers [showing off] their body… and that idea of this is how the ideal body is supposed to look…thin waist, big butt and big boobs.” Along with the stress, anxiety and depression that bulimia brought Jerrel, she dealt with serious physical consequences, especially because Jerrel has diabetes. “A lot of [physical symptoms] would be with my blood sugars being really out of control,” Jerrel said. “I wasn’t taking care of myself. My body got to a point where it was essentially eating itself and my blood sugars were so high because I was sick. I was so tired, I was lethargic, I had no energy, no motivation to do anything and I was just tired all the time because I wasn't getting what I needed.” Jerrel was participating in something called diabetic bulimia, or “diabulimia.” Diabulimia is when someone with type 1 diabetes purposely skips insulin doses with the goal of losing weight. If Jerrel doesn’t take insulin, it results in a high blood sugar. This leads to diabetic ketoacidosis, which shuts down organs and can lead to death. “I hated that I was being picked on for being diabetic and that also played into the whole diabulimia thing,” Jerrel explained. “I was going into diabetic ketoacidosis, and I was in ICU for a week and a half. They had me monitored, and they thought my insulin pump wasn’t working, but I just wasn’t giving myself insulin. I wasn’t giving myself the medication I needed.” Jerrel’s freshman year of college is when she realized how bad her bulimia had gotten and how it was impacting her quality of life. She decided to start her path to recovery. “I realized that I was trying to live up to these standards that are outrageous… and WRITING CENTER The Writing Center at Casper College is here to help our students and members of the community. Brainstorm possible paper topics Craft an essay Gain writing strategies And so much more! 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 Lucy Jane Crimm/Chinook Casper College Fire Science Major McKinsey Jerral battled bulimia. She shared her story and road to recovery with the Chinook. finally I was sick and tired of being sick so much. I was sick and tired of feeling alone, sad and feeling like I wasn’t worth anything. That’s when I decided [I’m] going to get on top of this,” Jarrel said. “In the beginning it was difficult, I’m going to be honest it was really hard to stomach things, but a month or two after I started I realized ‘Oh my gosh, I just ate a whole meal, then a desert and I’m not feeling so bad. This is awesome.’” Ford said part of preventing eating disorders or recovering from them is the friend groups people surround themselves with and a big part of recovery and prevention is finding friends that accept your authentic self. Jerrel’s recovery journey included just that. “When I first went into college, I met an amazing group of people, and they were the ones who told me ‘Hey we’re here and we love you’ and they showed it in any situation… they would always take me out and say ‘little steps to get to the big picture,’” Jerrel recalled. “They would encourage me, even if it was a small bowl of soup to eat. I wouldn’t want to eat, but… they would sit there for an hour and a half at a restaurant just so that I wouldn’t have that temptation to get up and leave.” Ford said teens and young adults in college are more at risk for eating disorders, which can stem from social media, friend groups, disordered eating and a need for control. Ford explained, “This phase of life is called emerging adulthood. The primary need in this phase of life is belonging and connection. I think so often students are just starting to develop their identity and who they are, so something more external like body image can really be something we try to control and hold on to.” CC provides resources for college students suffering from disordered eating, eating disorders and body dysmorphia. One resource is the group therapy Ford holds called Body Positive. Body Positive aims to help redefine how people see themselves through five components: reclaiming health, practicing intuitive self-care, cultivating self-love, declaring authentic beauty and building community. “Body Positive is so cool because it is really less about actual body image and more about relating to ourselves differently,” Ford said. “We really focus on our own authentic beauty. Not honoring what someone else says what we need to look like… but identifying the beauty that is natural to who we are, our genetics and where we came from.” Body Positive group therapy meets at the Wellness Center (UU202A) once a week for six weeks during the fall semester and is available on an individual basis during the spring semester. “I get feedback from members each time, a lot of people have said it really helped them to think differently about themselves and about their body. Just learn to love themselves in a different way,” Ford said. The solution for lowering the amount of college students who develop eating disorders starts with one main component– be kind. Be kind to others and be kind to yourself. “In the beginning, it was ‘Why can’t I be pretty enough? Why can’t I be skinny enough? Why can’t people like me? How much will it take for these guys to quit saying all these things?’ and ‘What did I do wrong? Why am I not good enough?’ But now I’ve gotten to a point where I can see I didn’t do anything wrong, I didn’t deserve what they said, I was perfectly fine then and I didn’t even realize it. My body is my body. I was beautiful the way I was and I didn’t deserve any of that,” Jerrel said. Added Ford, “I can’t more highly recommend working with a counselor to work on identity, on self love [and] on self compassion because really that is the core to all of it, that is the ultimate solution… loving ourselves, honoring ourselves, feeling confident in who we are and what we are authentically.” Another big solution to the problem is being more aware of content consumed on social media. Social media is the main contributor to eating disorders in young adults because a lot of content feeds off of insecurities to try and push products. “The biggest [solution] is to really really identify how social media is impacting the way you think,” Ford says. “So much social media we aren’t even aware of what we’re being fed, but if you go in and count the number of ads and posts you see about diets, before and after and beauty products… it’s all just being fed to us in order to get us to buy things, right? It’s being fed to us that who we are and what we are is not enough. So really bring so intentional to really audit social media and follow people who are body positive, body natural and in support of who we are authentically ourselves versus trying to make ourselves one specific mold of something” The path to recovery is not an easy one, but the best method is to prevent oneself and loved ones from developing eating disorders in the first place. Be kind to yourself and others, learn to listen to what your body tells you, love and embrace your body, and support others. Jerrel’s message to others who are struggling with an eating disorder is “It’s okay to be different. It’s okay to feel uncomfortable with yourself sometimes, but do not overthink it to the point that you don’t love yourself. Self love is a difficult journey, especially when you start on it… Do things you enjoy because the more little things you can do– well the baby steps get you to the bigger picture essentially.” www.caspercollege.edu/chinook �April 1, 2023 Page 9 CHINOOK Academics and extracurriculars: All about balance Jonna McCullough Chinook Contributor Casper College students competing in extracurricular activities dedicate their time to balancing school, extracurriculars, and other responsibilities year round while still being absent and traveling for their beloved pastimes. Attending class and devoting extra time for homework and other needs, keeps the students up to standards of maintaining good grades and being a responsible student athlete. Anne Wood, originally from Derby, NY, Kadyn Braaten from Townsend, Mont. and Clay Helm from Miles City, Mont. are all familiar faces around Casper College’s Werner Ag Pavilion and the Casper College Ranch. Helm, a team roper, and Braaten, a member of the livestock judging team, take a class from Wood, the agriculture economics professor for CC. Both Helm and Braaten are on very time consuming, traveling, competitive, teams here at CC, causing them to both be absent more times than present in Wood’s class. Because both students grew up roping and judging they know how to balance their academics and extracurricular activities, and so does Wood based on her agriculture background. Wood says she doesn’t mind when students are gone because it’s their education and money being spent. She said this is college and every student is treated like an adult in her classroom no matter the circumstances. “If you're not going to come to class, you are not going to get the inclass discussion and content, but you are still held accountable for turning in the work, whether your absence is excused or not,'' said Wood. If the traveling students contact Wood ahead of time they may be given an extension, “however you can lead a horse to water, but cannot make them drink,” said Wood. Wood expects every student in her class to pass, as long as the work and diligence is put forth. Helm is a 19-year-old freshman that said he balances school and rodeo ever since he first got on a horse. Helm said, “Because I miss so much school, I take my classes online to help myself stay caught up and organized to keep my grades up”. On average Helm misses thirty to forty days of school for his passion and family legacy to rodeo. “I grew up on a horse in eastern Montana team roping with my older brothers. I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t rodeo,” said Helm. Even though rodeo heavily impacts Helm’s way of living, school is still very important to him. Balancing rodeo and school is an extracurricular activity on its own. He said he dedicates time to school but definitely gets overwhelmed with practice and chores while still trying to be an A student in the short hours of the day. But Helm finds a way to get it all done. Much like Helm, twenty-year-old Braaten has been livestock judging for thirteen years and puts forth effort in the classroom to being the best she can be for every class and instructor while still managing to impress outside of the classroom. This past January, Braaten set a record at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver, Colo. for having the lowest contest drop in all of the NWSS&R Livestock Judging Contests to date. To this day and to many more the class of Hereford bulls will forever be remembered by her, because that is the only class she misplaced, according to officials. “My dad was our county livestock judging coach, and I started going to practice and just grew an interest in it ever since. From going to practice and being the youngest kid to being the oldest kid taking over the practices and teaching the younger kids,” said Braaten. Taking every piece of advice and looking at livestock judging from a teaching perspective gave Braaten an inside look at every class knowing that there is logic to correct placing. She said she just had to find it. Braaten traveled for every livestock judging trip the last two years at CC, forcing her to balance school and dedicate time before leaving to get every assignment done ahead of time, which is how she kept her name on the President's Honor Roll. Because she competed in livestock judging in high school and other activities, she knew what she was getting into come collegiate judging. However, Braaton said she did not expect to be gone almost every other week from the beginning of the school year to spring break. “All through high school I maintained a 3.9 GPA, between showing and raising livestock, livestock judging, basketball, and school. If I wasn’t at school or at practice you could find me in the barn until dark or even past dark. It was difficult, but setting the time aside to get my homework done was very important to me,” said Braaten. Missing as much school as she did this past year, Braaton said she worked twice as hard than what she had to do in high school. Braaten said she wishes she was able to set more time aside for school the last two years, but she was initially drawn to CC to be a part of a competitive livestock judging team and work towards an associate’s degree in Animal Science. Braaten will graduate with honors and an animal science degree in May. Knowing that both students were going to be gone as much as they were over the year, Wood said she was still pleased and even impressed with their dedication to maintaining good grades and following their passions at a successful rate. According to Wood, “It’s not easy to decide between being the best to your ability at the sport you love and school, but both Helm and Braaten have shown me, their coaches, and fellow students that it is possible to balance both tasks and be successful.” Submitted Photos Clay Helm, a member of the Casper College Rodeo Team, practices roping. Kadyn Braaten, a member of the Casper College Livestock Judging Team, judges at an event. Taking online or hybrid courses? Students: We make sure you are able to access online learning resources needed to learn in your classes. We will also help you learn to utilize the digital tools available to you for all your classwork. Examples of items we can help with: 1. MyCCMoodle — including how to submit assignments, participate in forums, etc. 2. ZOOM – help you learn to access and use Zoom for your remote course meetings and collaborations 3. Google Suite — Google Docs, Drive, GMail, etc. 4. Accessing Office 365 .- such as MS Word and PowerPoint 5. Online tutoring — How and where to get extra help as you need it, using NetTutor. Plus a lot more! Contact us. Don’t wait! Get your Questions answered now. Teresa Pat Mike Tyler For help or more information stop by Liesinger Hall, room 132 or contact us at 307-268-3882, dlc@caspercollege.edu, and av@caspercollege.edu. Dave Camille � 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 2023-04 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. 2023-04 Description An account of the resource This is a copy of the online Chinook Newspaper from April 2023. 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_2023-04 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/98571ea7c3256c4e1f13b3f2011dbb28.pdf fa002711a7cb64126dc30e6156a692a9 PDF Text Text May 1, 2023 Casper College’s Student Voice Since 1945 Student Senate's Casino Night at CC William G Eastin Chinook Writer As the clock struck 7 p.m. on April 19, Casper College students filed through the door with the opportunity to play a multitude of gambling games and other activities with the chance to win a variety of different prizes. Casino Night is a very popular event put on by the CC Student Senate every semester. Student Life Coordinator, Devin Fulton spoke to the reasoning behind the event. “It gathers students in a fun environment that gets them out of the classroom along with the professors and is a great way for staff to see the fun and competitive side of students and vice versa,” Fulton said. So what exactly goes into hosting such a popular event? The first and most important aspect is planning. Fulton stated, “There is a lot of discussion throughout student senate meetings including logistical planning, asking staff to volunteer, coordinating locations, and getting the good grace of Sodexo to partake”. Student senate also take this time to brainstorm solutions to any problems posed in the events prior. The organization’s obligations don’t stop there though, as CC Student Senate is also required to host the actual event. “Student Senate helped in three William G Eastin/Chinook Casper College students participated in Casino Night on April 19 in the Tobin Dining Hall. Games included blackjack, craps, poker, roulette, and bingo. key aspects including pre-event set up, the actual event itself where they had different stations for giving students their chips as well as raffle tickets, and event tear down,” said Fulton. Turning to the night of the event, CC students had the chance to play a variety of different gambling games. Fulton said, “The event had one craps table, seven blackjack tables, four poker tables, one roulette table, and eight bingo tables.” Staff and teachers worked as dealers for every table. “It is always awesome when you can get dealers like Linda Toohey and Dwight Gunnare who both have strong relationships with our students, and even the president himself, Dr. Divine,” stated Fulton. Starting out, students were each given one golden coin and could exchange it for 1,000 chips. Throughout the night, students gambled with their chips across the assortment of games in an attempt to attain more chips. Majoring in computer science, CC student Taylee Siemens stated, “Sitting with my friends, watching them bet everything and losing,” proved one of her favorite parts of the night. Nearing the end of the evening, students received one gold coin per 1,000 chips. They could then exchange however many golden coins they received for raffle tickets with the chance to win an assortment of different prizes. The most popular prizes were the Airpod Pros with over 100 raffle tickets alone, the 40-inch TV and the Xbox Series X with an overall total of 650 raffle tickets submitted, according to Fulton. As someone who participated in Casino Night three times, majoring in communications and multimedia, CC student Isabella Coronado said, “It’s always nice just getting to see everyone have a good time and it's always fun to try all of the games and get prizes”. "Shoplifters" steals the show at Casper College Jacob Klaudt Chinook Writer The 31st Annual Multicultural Film Festival at Casper College screened "Shoplifters," written and directed by Kore-eda Hirokazu, on April 25 in the Wheeler Auditorium located in the Wold Physical Science Center. Shoplifters, released in November of 2018, depicts the life of an underprivileged Japanese family forced to steal to meet their own basic needs. “The thing I like about Shoplifters is that I feel like it gives you a view into the struggle of these people and does it in a way that makes you feel compassion for a situation that you may not agree with,” said Dr. Kristina Pham, psychology instructor and co-chair of the CC Diversity and Inclusion committee. “It reminds me of those stories where someone steals baby formula, and the police pay for it instead of arresting the person responsible.” The two-hour and oneminute long film stars Japanese film celebrities Lily Frank and Sakura Andô and highlights this years’ Multicultural Film Festival’s theme: Dimensions of Poverty. “Poverty is rarely ever thought about as a part of diversity and inclusion. We tend to think about things like minority status and not necessarily about economic status and how that affects people’s lives,” said Pham. "Shoplifters" takes place in a financially challenged and underprivileged area of Tokyo. The story follows a make-shift family: one bonded a by compassion and basic trust rather than blood or familial ties. Each member of the family draws income from vastly different job types from construction worker to industrial laundry woman and even thief. “It’s really impactful when you first realize the type of dynamic the family has and the type relationships you anticipate they’re going to have,” said festival participant and health science major Jilian Moore. Even so, all of these earnings fail to support the family given a new sanction in the Japanese workplace. In turn, the father figure of the family is forced to procure food through stealing from the local supermarket with the younger members of his family. One night after the group’s routine shoplifting session, they encounter a young girl who appears to be abandoned teams, to try out for plays. You can do so many things.” And Zoby considers himself lucky to be a part of the culture here. He believes that Casper is a place that himself and other instructors who like to implement environmental concerns into their writing, such as CC Sociology and World Religions instructor Chad Hanson, have strived to be in. “Take Hanson and I. We fought to get here because we wanted to explore the West, and we wanted to be able to drive out and find a beautiful place,” Zoby said. “We’re people who read Edward Abbey, you know, and Aldo Leopold – big conservationists … we wanted a place where we could go camp and be on the land. We fought to get here. We gave up a lot.” And Zoby did give up quite a lot. Moving to Wyoming meant leaving his family and most of the people he knew behind. On the other hand, instructors like Hanson consider CC lucky to have him. Hanson joked that Zoby wins a national writing competition once every six months. Hanson continuously stressed Zoby’s talent. “I think he’s probably one of the few people I know who could make, if he wanted to, a living as a writer. That's a hard thing to do, but Dave is good enough that he could totally do that if he wanted to,” Hanson said. “But he doesn’t. And I think it’s because he loves teaching. And conversations. He loves education so much, he’s never going to stop being a student.” As an English instructor with a bachelor’s degree in communications and journalism and a masters degree in fine arts, Zoby took literature classes on CC’s campus and at the University of Wyoming. Before joining students as peers in literature classes at CC, Zoby co-authored a book and published a variety of articles. Zoby reflected on his time co-writing his book, Fire on the Beach: Recovering the Lost Story of Richard Etheridge and the Pea Island Lifesavers, very fondly and hailed it as a moment in his and injured. The family then informally adopts the young girl. The rest of the film depicts the family’s downward spiral and allows the viewer to evaluate the morality of the family and its situation. “Through "Shoplifters, I really learned about the bon"ds people make when they are struggling and going through hard times. It’s pretty beautiful, pretty challenging and messy,” said festival attendee and social work major Tesla McConnaughey. Other films already shown at this year’s festival include Grass is Greener and The Florida Project. Grass is Greener, directed by Fab 5 Freddy, looks into marijuana’s impact on the AfricanAmerican community and its correlation with poverty. “Grass is Greener is a documentary chosen by members of the Casper College Student Senate in honor of Black History Month. It traces the history of cannabis in America and tThehe impact of the country’s war on marijuana on people of color, including art, music, and incarceration,” said Kat Bohr-Buresh, CC O.L.L.I Coordinator and co-chair of the Diversity and Inclusion committee. The Florida Project, starring Brooklyn Prince and Willem DaFoe, explores the journey of a struggling, single mother and her daughter over the course of an eventful summer. “That movie is about a young single mom who's trying to figure out how to “make it”, and looking at that journey through the eyes of a child and how children view that situation,” said Pham. "Shoplifters, a provocative and perplexin"g film on the effects of poverty in a foreign culture, fits quite well into the Multicultural Film Festival’s theme: Dimensions of Poverty. Past themes of the festival include: “Hispanic Stories” (2022), “Seeking Justice in a Diverse America” (2021), and “Native American Stories” (2020). At the end of the day, the Multicultural Film Festival at Casper College aims to educate the student body on important issues that impact society through the lens and scope of quality films. “Through the Multicultural Film Festival I was introduced to movies I would not have watched otherwise,” said McConnaughey. “It brings a different perspective to issues that everyone might not experience personally or on a day to day basis.” Dave Zoby's love for nature in his writing career Garrett Grochowski Chinook Writer Dave Zoby didn’t move to Wyoming because he loved anything anyone put here. He moved to Wyoming to explore things like mountains, rivers, education, and his writing. The Casper College instructor reflected on what he’s achieved in his career since writing a book, publishing articles in a variety of magazines, traveling the world, and moving to Wyoming to teach at CC. In Casper, he sets out to help students grow and give them opportunities they wouldn’t receive elsewhere before sending them off into the world. Zoby loves teaching at CC because of the opportunities a smaller campus can provide. “If you come to a community college like this, you can grab all the opportunities and have a good chance at getting some of them. Whereas you go to these big schools and you get lost in the shuffle,” Zoby said. “Here there’s opportunity to travel with professors, to be on Photo Courtsey of Chad Hanson English Instructor Dave Zoby fly fishes with his dog inside a river during the winter months. life he worked hard to do something important and do it correctly. Zoby said, “Two guys that were average students and average football players were like ‘we’re gonna go and chase this academic pursuit that's high level’ … and we chased it and went to the very top with it. It didn’t make us famous and it wasn’t like a bestseller of a book, but here’s the thing: it’s relevant.” According to Zoby, Endeavor Studios optioned — See Zoby, Page 3 �Page 2 Divine's Intervention: Chinook Stance Boredom... Carlos Fandal Carlos' Curiosities Unfortunately, I know Casper all too well. It’s a growing town, but it still has plenty of growing to do. People -- let’s be honest --Casper can be an incredibly boring town. Summer is coming up, and we can’t have boredom. You all deserve to have fun! If you’re here from out of town or you’re a local reader, I’ve got you covered. I, Carlos Fandal III, am about to cure your boredom and make your day ten times better with my definitive list of things to do in Casper Wyoming. I’m gonna do my best to keep this list diverse, cheap, and actually fun. Here we go! First, take a hike! Casper, Wyo. itself may not be a total gem to look at but thankfully for us, literally everything around us is remarkable. A short trip up to Casper Mountain’s Rotary Park is a beautiful picnic location that doubles as a trailhead for all sorts of trails, varying in difficulty. No Car? That’s okay too! Casper is home to several in-town trailheads too like Whitewater Park off of West 1st Street. Like I mentioned earlier, summer is very fast approaching! Assuming we don’t have another crippling winter storm, Casper is home to several great camping spots to learn and enjoy. We’ve got your standard mountain family campgrounds up on Casper Mountain, like Lodgepole campground, or the Elkhorn Springs campground. Fire pits, paved tent / RV spots, and vandalized picnic tables, what more can you ask for? Casper is also home to a couple of other sceneries for local camping, such as Alcova lake and Pathfinder Reservoir. One last place I’d like to highlight is Fort Caspar campground! If you’re looking for a historical kick, this is absolutely your place. Casper is historically very, very interesting in a couple different ways. Our next “thing to do” is to check out all of our local museums. Fort Caspar actually doubles as a museum too! See how Casper locals lived a couple hundred years ago while you camp! The National Historic Trails Interpretive Center is on the north end of Poplar street, and is a really intriguing and well put together look at life before us in Wyoming. Dioramas of Natives, and highlights of some of their local trails will get you in the historical spirit. For my archaeologists, we actually have a geological museum here! Despite being actually located on Casper College grounds, I’m surprised to hear a lot of students have no clue the Tate Geological Museum exists! Go there! It’s really cool! Casper also has a very rich history in that department as well. Straying from the historical themes, Casper also has a planetarium, which is near the Historic Trails Center on Poplar. The center can be really enlightening with a great display of technology. Finally, you could try out the Nicolaysen Art Museum if none of these are up your alley. This downtown I mentioned is home to several local shops, restaurants, and other oddities that are sure to satisfy the odd bored day, all within walking distance of one another. From a three story midwestern clothing store, to a bead store, downtown is sure to have something for everyone. While Casper may have a reputation for being a bit dull, there are actually plenty of fun and diverse things that’ll keep you entertained this summer. Whether you're in the mood for a hike, a camping trip, or exploring the town's rich history and museums, Casper has something to offer. Casper is what you make of it! www.caspercollege.edu/chinook May 1, 2023 CHINOOK “ For my last message this academic year, I want to first thank everyone for being a part of our Casper College community. Second, I want to wish everyone a wonderful summer. Whether you have the summer off, will work even more during the summer, have vacation plans, or simply plan to have no plans, I wish you a wonderful and happy summer. Abraham Lincoln once said “Most people are about as happy as they make their minds up to be.” In short, happiness, much like several other states of mind, is a choice to be made; one way or another. Certainly there are emotional conditions, life challenges, and a variety of other circumstances that make it difficult to choose to he happy, but in the end, it is still a choice we all make, or fail to make. I freely admit it took a long time to incorporate this concept into my own life. For too long I glossed over this idea and just “went with the flow.” When I was happy, I believed it was because everything was going well, and thus, I should be happy. When things were not going as well as I wanted, then I was, rightfully so I thought, unhappy. But in reality, neither of those concepts was correct. Events are events; they are not good or bad, they are simply circumstances that occur. While we usually cannot control such circumstances, we can choose how we react. Life is challenging. Be those challenges relatively inconsequential, or serious and life-defining, events will occur on a continual basis. Allowing events to determine your state of happiness, while common, is not the most proactive, or healthiest, of choices. Allowing yourself the freedom and control to accept events as they occur, and choosing to be happy regardless of circumstances, is a much harder, but ultimately much healthier, choice. I bid each of you a peaceful and fulfilling summer… Events are events; they are not good or bad, they are simply circumstances that occur. While we usually cannot control such circumstances, we can choose how we react. — Darren Divine, Ph.D., Casper College President Why we show Jonna McCullough Meeting McCullough Showing cattle is a wellknown agriculture pastime involving millions of families across the world that dedicate their time, passion, and love for the industry. Ranging between showing the traditional cattle breeds of British and Continental such as Angus, Simmental, Hereford, and Maine Anjou to the American breeds of Brahmans and Brahman influenced cattle. Waking up before the sun rises in the summer to put cattle in the barn to keep cool and clean is not an easy task. Making sure every morning and night they’re getting fed at the same time to keep a consistent feeding and gaining program is vital to a show calves world. Treating their skin and hair like our very own and maybe even better sounds crazy from an outsider looking in, but to those families, it all makes sense. We must keep the cattle under fans and air conditioners in the summer to recreate the feel of winter and to continue growing hair and maintain moisturized skin. Livestock kids spend most of their summertime in the barn with their cattle, like kids spend more time at school growing up. It’s hard to juggle school, sports, showing cattle, and family time, but with the right balance, goals, and ambitions there's always time for the things and people you love most. Showing cattle isn’t all about the stock and keeping good care of them, but it’s also about what you have learned along the way. A hard work ethic, passion, determination, and leadership, all of which are important skills needed to grow up are gained in the show barn. Many late nights, blood, sweat, and tears are soaked into the foundation and structure of the barn making every minute more valuable than the last. The perfect way to end the day for a show cattle kid is letting the animals out at sunset and watching the sun go down behind the green grass hills as the cattle graze. Not every day is easy to get up and go in the morning while your friends are sleeping in from a late night out. The urge to turn off your alarm and go back to bed is running through your mind over and over again, but those animals are relying on you to eat and get into the barn before the heat strikes. The responsibility is yours, and their hunger is on you. Growing up as a livestock kid and working in the heat while the sweat rolls down your neck can teach skills that sitting in the classroom can’t. The experience and opportunities to learn hands-on and make connections within the industry is irreplaceable. Practicing your public speaking and social interactions skills are regularly used within the livestock showing industry furthering the essential skills of independence. The memories made and people met along the way last a lifetime and carry on to another. For some families it’s just a hobby, but for others it’s a way of life that they wouldn’t change for the world. Student Voice Since 1945 WRITING CENTER The Writing Center at Casper College is here to help our students and members of the community. Brainstorm possible paper topics Craft an essay Gain writing strategies And so much more! 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 �May 1, 2023 Page 3 CHINOOK Zoby........................................................ the book and the work has the potential to be turned into a movie or television series. Zoby’s shorter works have also seen their fair share of success. Magazines such as The Sun, and many outdoor sports-focused journals, feature Zoby’s grim and occasionally prophetic takes on the world and its systems. Zoby uses his writing to comment on the unsustainable way humans are using the out- doors, even here in Wyoming. According to Zoby, fish unnaturally stocked into Natrona County waters create an illusion of inexhaustible resources and immediate access to game. “Here this is a Disney World. We got the dam, which pumps out cold water, right here in Casper, as much as we want or as little as we want. It keeps all this trout – ridiculous trout populations – alive, which is totally a fiction,” Zoby said. In other places, his writing paints an even bleaker portrait. He recalled seeing fishermen in Alaska standing shoulder to shoulder for yards fishing in the same spots for salmon, turning up less every year. Alaska is rich in resources, but that's what makes it so attractive to abuse. Hanson reflected on a conflict between Alaskans over a proposed mine, its potential for creating jobs, and its potential environment ramifications as examples of how he, Zoby, and their students have sought conflict as sources of inspiration. Studying the varying interests in such a fragile area, according to Hanson, is an experience rich in art, media, and culture that’s invaluable to young writers. Whether at home in Casper or in Homer, Ala., where Zoby spent many summers, occa- continued from page 1 sionally alongside Hanson, he’s written about the attrition of wild fish populations in Kachemak Bay. Zoby uses literature as a means of communicating what he thinks needs protecting. He has concerns about problems he illustrated in his award-winning writing about Alaska reaching Wyoming, and he reflects fondly on what he considers worth protecting. Camping above the tree- line, watching elk graze from afar, a deep value of intimate education, and, unlike his anecdote about shoulder-toshoulder fishing in his essay Breaking Up With Alaska, peoples’ appreciation of space. Qualities nearly exclusive to the most rugged of the lower 48 are what keep this talented author at CC, where students can learn from a passionate, experienced writer each semester. CC ag hosts 43rd Annual Lamb and Pig Sale Kaylee Davis Chinook Writer The Casper College Agriculture Department held its 43rd annual Lamb and Pig Sale on Sunday, April 2nd. Aside from bringing people across from the state of Wyoming to gather and discuss their passion of raising livestock, the event also provides opportunity for CC Ag Department students to learn how to run and manage a sale, while earning money for the department. The Lamb and Pig Sale was first started as “a fundraiser for the Livestock Judging team by Kelly Burch, who was the head judging coach at the time, along with department head Bill Henry.” stated Ag Department head Heath Hornecker. This year’s sale hosted 31 lambs and 31 pigs that went through the show and sale ring. The night before the sale, a sift occurred, also referred to as the show, which is where every animal is evaluated and that determines the sale order for the next day. The sift not only helps with sale order, but it allows the producers to exhibit their animal’s show ring presence, which may help buyers choose which animal they prefer to purchase. Colby Hales, the head Livestock Judging Coach for the CC teams was once a student involved in the sale. He now helps prepare for the big day and volunteers his time as the auctioneer. Hales spoke to how he sees the event help students. “On a student level, the sale is nice because the students get to see the interworking of a sale, and I bet around 50% of ag students don’t get to see that.” Hales said. “On the college level, it’s a cool event that it brings a positive image to the college, and it gets people on campus which is valuable for recruiting, and for alumni and supporters to see what we’re doing as a department and group.” While most of the profits go towards the producers, 8% of the overall profit from each animal goes towards the CC Ag Department for commission. As of now, the sale is an invite sale only, with preference given to former CC Alumni. Such a structure allows alumni to come back, engage with current students and staff and catch up on the college, ag department and judging team happenings! Kaylee Davis/Chinook Above, Emmy Hornecker, a local producer, stands with her lamb before going into the ring. To the right, ag club members run the front table welcoming buyers. Pictured from left to right is Bailey Mast, Ceara Moffatt, Lacee Sanford, Kassadee Lym. Burkett retires as livestock judging coach Jacob Klaudt/Chinook Dr. Jeremy Burkett, Casper College alumni and current animal science instructor, retired from coaching the CC Livestock Judging Team back in March after the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Burkett coached 14 teams, drove over a million miles in the judging van, and instructed approximately 350 judging students. Six of Burkett’s judging students earned the title of All-American Junior College Livestock Judges. “Dr. Burkett not only aided in my growth as a livestock judging student but in my development as a person, reinforcing life skills such as honesty and integrity, which I will hold near and dear for the rest of my life,” said agricultural business major and CC sophomore Jessy Barger. Burkett helped lead the T-Birds to a National Championship in 2014, winning by a substantial margin of 31 points. Burkett and the 2022-2023 team hold the record for the lowest placings drop in the junior college division at the National Western Stock Show with five evaluators dropping 88 points out of a possible 3000. In retirement, Burkett said he will enjoy exhibiting show sheep with his family, serving the swine industry as a member of the National Pork Board, and continuing to educate students at CC. “Spending time with my family is what I’m most excited about in terms of my retirement,” Burkett said. “At the same time, family is what I’m going to miss most about CC livestock judging.” �Page 4 May 1, 2023 CHINOOK Globalization and its affect on students Kaley Pieper Chinook Writer Submitted Photo Pictured to the right is a histroical photograph of Sash Moline's family on their homestead. Submitted Photo CC Student Sash Moline posed for a photo with her husband and children on her family's seventh generation homestead. Globalization is a relatively new term that is becoming increasingly important in understanding our global community. Globalization is defined by Oxford dictionary as the word used to describe the growing interdependence of the world's economies, cultures, and populations. Depending on the field of work or study, the definition of globalization may vary. For example, in the economics industry, increasing cross-border trade, wide-spread use of technology, and interest in global capital makes globalization strong. In the media field, the spread of cultures and ideas integrates media across the globe causing media companies to grow even larger with a more pervasive reach. So what really is globalization, and how does it affect the life of a Casper College student? Three students in a world geography class wrote essays to answer just that. Sash Moline, Suzee Sanford, and Jay Joccaforte each explained what globalization means to them, and how it has affected their lives. Moline is a mother of three with another child on the way. She takes online classes through CC while living in Thermopolis and working at the elementary school. Moline and her family still live near the original homestead of her ancestor’s ranch and currently run a cowcalf operation. She explained that being from Thermopolis, Wyo., she definitely determines the term globalization differently than someone from Haiti or Brazil. “I believe globalization affects all of us, especially with how much we all have access to the internet.” Moline explained. “Being able to search for anything you can think of and have any item shipped to your house from any vendor in the world, even here in rural Wyoming, in just a matter of days makes us reliant on globalization.” Since we live here in the U.S. and have internet access, Moline explained that such access puts us on the forefront of globalization and makes us even more connected to the rest of the world. She said globalization looks very different from the perspective of someone in a different country. “Haiti is known to be the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country. This country deals with economic problems and its people are experiencing widespread poverty. Poverty would mean the people would not be as connected through internet usage, leaving the people of Haiti to interpret globalization as a suppression of their culture,” Moline said. Another student had a different opinion on globalization. Sanford is a 53-year-old Spanish major going into international studies. She shared her interpretation of globalization. Sanford said, “Being able to not physically touch, but contact something so physically far away. Being in touch with the world on a moment's notice.” During Sanford’s childhood, she said her only ‘window to the world’ came through her TV in her rural Pennsylvania living room. In the 1970’s, there were no home computers or internet, so her concepts of people from other cultures and countries came from the Wide World of Sports, and Godzilla movies. “It’s instant and constant news now. There’s no break from it,” Sanford said. “We’re just bombarded with news constantly, tragedies usually. Globalization is unavoidable at this point in world history.” Roccaforte is a 20-year-old ,multimedia communications major and RA at the dorms on campus. He pointed to the popular Western fast-food chain McDonald’s in his explanation of globalization. After starting in the U.S., McDonald’s is now one of the most popular and prevalent restaurants on the planet. Roccaforte said, “It has been argued that the term ought to be changed to “Americanization,” as globalization has been claimed to only benefit the United States; it has created a world that echoes the ideals and values of white America.” Roccaforte also described the struggles of cultures conforming to the globally dominant status quo, and its negative effects on his life as a result. “My grandmother and her 11 siblings moved to the United States from Mexico as children, seeking the economic opportunities America offered. In school, she was bullied for speaking Spanish, and when she grew up, she chose not to teach any Spanish to her daughters. As a result, the language has been erased from the culture of my family. This anecdote fits closer to the definition of Americanization, my family having felt obligated to assimilate into American culture at the expense of their own.” Roccaforte wrote in his essay. While there are benefits and drawbacks to globalization as a whole, a question remains -- Is globalization good or bad? Each student shared a similar answer; it’s complicated. “That question is complicated and open to interpretation. Here in Thermopolis, having Amazon delivered to my doorstep is good. In the U.S. it allows us to be more connected with the rest of the world,” replied Moline. Sanford was less positive in her interpretation of globalization. Sanford explained, “I’m kinda 50-50. The technology that allows us to do that is amazing, but I would hate to be a victim of globalization.” Roccaforte answered, “In general, it’s bad I guess? It rejects cultural diversity in the name of profit and convenience.” Whether or not globalization is a good or bad thing, it is important to remember and celebrate each culture’s differences. Globalization shouldn’t be the reason cultures are lost. As Roccaforte wrote in his essay, “Silencing the minority experience is easy, and humanity as a whole needs to do the hard thing. It is through an improved understanding of globalization, the effects it has on an individual life, and the deliberate action to engage with a variety of cultures that one is able to truly advocate for the preservation of cultural diversity at a global scale.” Taking online or hybrid courses? Students: We make sure you are able to access online learning resources needed to learn in your classes. We will also help you learn to utilize the digital tools available to you for all your classwork. Examples of items we can help with: 1. MyCCMoodle — including how to submit assignments, participate in forums, etc. 2. ZOOM – help you learn to access and use Zoom for your remote course meetings and collaborations 3. Google Suite — Google Docs, Drive, GMail, etc. 4. Accessing Office 365 .- such as MS Word and PowerPoint 5. Online tutoring — How and where to get extra help as you need it, using NetTutor. Plus a lot more! Contact us. Don’t wait! Get your Questions answered now. Teresa Pat Mike Tyler For help or more information stop by Liesinger Hall, room 132 or contact us at 307-268-3882, dlc@caspercollege.edu, and av@caspercollege.edu. Dave Camille �May 1, 2023 Page 5 CHINOOK Becker reflects on 30 years in law enforcement Photo Courtesy of Zachary Vreeman John Becker posed for a photo in the CC Security Office. Prior to his time at the college, Becker worked at the Sheriff's office for over 30 years Ella Meyer Chinook Writer On the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001, John Becker was getting ready for work and getting his kids ready for school when the first tower was hit. The attack stopped the flow of the morning, as both he and his wife found themselves enthralled with what was going on in New York City that fateful morning. Many people found themselves in the same situation on the day of 9/11, simply getting ready for work when the two towers were struck down. This was no different for Becker and the other officers in the sheriff’s office. Becker worked for the Sheriff’s office in Natrona County for 30 years prior to working as head of security for the college. During his years on the force he worked as a firearms instructor at the airport, where he met Mike Hendershot. Mike Hendershot worked as a Fire Medical Deputy Sheriff for 30 years at the airport before leaving to work security at Casper College. Hendershot described Becker as knowledgeable, not only during his time at the airport, but also in his work at the college. “He always listens to what we have to say, and he’s a fair interest in racing. Former CC Automotive Technology Instructor Chris Raymond played a role in Garvin’s passion for racing. Garvin’s brother majored in automotive tech, and Raymond helped him get into rally racing, a point to point race where cars go one at a time on a dirt or asphalt road instead of a designated race track. Eventually he invited Garvin to try a rallycross race, a race with multiple cars on a circuit road designed for racing. “I thought ‘sounds like going fast in cool cars, so sure. Why not?’” Garvin said. “We actually ended up buying an old beater Honda Civic, and we tore the crap out of it. We went to a few events and it just kind of sucked me in.” A 2001 Honda Civic with a manual transmission was the first car Garvin bought and fixed up specifically for racing. Garvin noted that it was a “piece of junk.” When he bought it, the fifth gear didn’t work, it needed a new clutch and a few other basic repairs. He and his brother did a clutch job, replaced the spark plugs, and then Garvin replaced the transmission when he decided to sell it. The first race Garvin participated in was a rallycross in Colorado, he said his goal for the race was just to not get last place. “It was a fall event so it wasn’t super hot, but it was very dusty. I just remember being around all these people I didn’t know and thinking ‘this is crazy,’” Garvin explained. “But there were a ton of cool cars there, and I think that’s actually the first time I saw this Fiat that I have now.” In 2020, Garvin purchased his second race car – a 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth. The white car is small and round with red decals. When the doors are open, the car greets you with a chime and the cozy interior showcases shiny red leather seats and a new car smell still lingers. He named this car “Appa” after the sky bison in the show “Avatar the Last Airbender.” “I saw it at a couple events, and the guy who drove it was a fantastic driver. He won like everything he went to,” Garvin said. “I was getting really sick of working on that Civic, and I was getting ready to sell it… and then in the group he posted that Fiat was for sale. And I wondered ‘Do I really want a Fiat? It’s kind of a goofy car.’ But the more I researched it, they’re fast for what they are. Once you get over that idea that everyone is going to think I’m weird for driving a Fiat, then you open it up and it blows their minds and they realize maybe that is a cool car.” The previous owner was selling it for a very good deal under market value along with four wheels. Garvin said he couldn’t resist, and he never doubted his decision. “That’s one of my best car purchases I’ve ever made, just from the sheer enjoyment I’ve gotten out of it,” Garvin said. The first race with Appa was in the stock class, racing unmodified cars, and they took second place overall and first place in novice. After his first race, he modified Appa and moved up to a different class. Now he is working his way up and trying to improve his racing in the higher class. “I loved [Appa]... It’s Racing full throttle Lucy Jane Crimm Chinook Writer Cory Garvin is a computer support technician for Casper College. While a typical day for him consists of fixing computers and printers, he maintains a bold and surprising hobby. Garvin started fixing, modding and racing cars in 2018. “Cory’s an adventurous guy, he’s always open to new stuff even if it’s a little bit dangerous, but as a friend he’s just a tame and open guy. Always friendly and always willing to help out and share what he knows,” a friend of Garvin and fellow racer Christian Gopperton said in a phone interview. Born and raised in Casper, Garvin said he grew up helping his dad fix stuff and enjoyed tinkering with things. Many of his hobbies came from his enjoyment of tinkering– cameras, computers, cars and airplanes to name a few. “My hobbies are all of the expensive ones,” Garvin joked. “Anything I can tinker with or get an adrenaline rush out of, I’m usually into. When I’m home, I’m tinkering with something. Whether it be a computer, camera or car.” Garvin got his first car in high school. It was a 20-yearold 1991 Jeep Grand Cherokee that used to belong to his cousin. The car needed significant work, and he ended up doing it all himself which taught him the basics of auto repair. Garvin said his second car is when he started messing around with modding cars– he raised the suspension with a lift kit. Fixing and modding his vehicles sparked his interest in cars, which soon grew into an boss who doesn’t micromanage too much,” said Hendershot. They became fast friends when working together at the airport, often seeing each other nearly every day. Their common ground in law enforcement started them off on the right foot, working together to make the training easier and the airport safer. However, out of 30 years of working together, the event that brought them the closest was 9/11. Becker was working in the sheriff’s office at the time, taking the day to close down all forms of air transportation and escorting everyone out of the airport. The day was a somber one, filled with confusion and many civilians in the airport trying to create an explanation for what was happening in their country. “The first thing I felt was shock,” Becker said as he talked about that morning, noting that most of the country was in the same state. Becker said there was a ripple effect in law enforcement that day, and without needing to be told, airports across the country shut down, and air traffic in the United States halted for the foreseeable future. That day brought many law enforcement officers together, including Becker and his office of coworkers. Becker said law enforcement changed the way they trained at the airport, more of it becoming terrorism based. But, what got Becker through the stress of the next few weeks was his faith. He said he changed the way he looked at life, including the way he looked at neighboring countries. On the day of 9/11, he was in church, praying for those who lost their lives in the attack. He came in uniform and said the priest at the time thanked him for coming in uniform, showing the people there that America was going to be ok. “9/11 brought everyone together and opened the line of communication between law enforcement officers,” Becker said about the weeks and months after the day. Pilots made people talk to each other on the plane, encouraging them say hello to their neighbors. Becker talked about how many people were merely concerned with themselves before the attack, and America felt truly divided. But 9/11 brought United We Stand to the nation, and the sheriff’s office and the police department were no longer so separate. The law enforcement agencies started working together more frequently, and Becker said he still works to keep the door open between the sheriff’s office and security at the college. But, as the nation moved on from the terrorist attack, the sense of unity diminished too. Becker said people don’t talk to each other anymore, and neighbors seem more hostile to one another in the process. “The whole country needs to unite and step up!” Becker said of the country’s current climate. Throughout his time as the director of security at Casper College, Becker said he made it a part of his routine to talk to students by sitting in the middle of the cafeteria when eating and teaching classes for the criminal justice major. Whether it be students, teachers, or people visiting the college, he makes a point to be kind and reach out. When reflecting back on his time at the airport, Becker said that he wouldn’t change a thing. He is most proud of his 33 years of marriage, raising three boys, and accomplishing 37 years in law enforcement. He also is a Deacon at his church, becoming closer to God after the attack, and working on that relationship since then. Becker said that the key to life is to enjoy what you do, and if you don’t enjoy it then you need to find something else. “Enjoy what you do, and treat people how you want to be treated,” said Becker, talking about what got him so far in life and what’s kept him happy throughout his career. Hendershot described 30 years of knowing Becker as a pleasure and honor. Becker shared the same sentiments, and extended them to his other brothers in law enforcement. His time at the college is not over, just yet, as he plans to keep working until his ultimate goal: retirement. Lucy Jane Crimm/Chinook Above, Cory Garvin stands next to the Miata he refurbished. During his work day, Garvin is a computer support technician for Casper College. a really uncommon car and I’ve always really loved when people race cars that aren’t expected,” Gopperton said. “Through that I just knew that Cory really had an enthusiasm for cars and not just the lifestyle where it’s just a status symbol.” Garvin’s passion for racing also helped him build friendships with people who shared those passions. Garvin introduced Gopperton to the racing world, and they used racing as a way to build their relationship. Gopperton races in a 2011 Honda CRZ. “I just started [racing] last year, actually because of Cory,” Gopperton said. “I had seen through social media that he had gone out and done rallycross, and up until that point I had just gone to shows and meet ups on the street. I had just started to discover the entry level point of motor sports… I got in contact with him and he ended up inviting me to a rallycross event in Colorado.” Gopperton and Garvin met while they were in high school and were in Civil Air Patrol together but never really became close until two years ago when they reconnected over racing. “With rallycross and autocross the drivers volunteer when it’s not their turn to drive, and Cory was the photographer at a lot of the events and one of the events we went to he was doing photography,” Gopperton recalled. “I was just starting to get into photography at the time and he needed a spotter so I asked him if I could… We both ended up taking pictures on course, but it was just so cool that he was open to the idea of letting me.” Unfortunately, Garvin said he hasn’t raced as much as he would like recently because between gas, hotels and car repairs, the expenses add up. Garvin’s future plans for racing are to start doing more racing with Appa on pavement so it isn’t as hard on it and he wants to get his 1990 and 1991 Miatas in shape to continue racing on dirt roads. “It sounds kind of weird, but racing has taught me to just be patient,” Garvin said. “Sometimes you just have to let the car do things, and when you really think about it in life somethings are just going to happen and you just have to let it happen and then correct afterwards. That’s really philosophical and it sounds kind of silly, but just plan ahead, but be patient and be okay when things don’t work out how you want them to.” Join our staff this fall! 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 at brianne.weigel@caspercollege.edu �Page 6 May 1, 2023 CHINOOK CC's Jennie Miller says chihuahuas are people too! Carlos Fandal III Chinook Writer Jennie Miller is a wellrespected psychology instructor at Casper College who has been making a difference in the lives of both humans and animals for many years. While her professional expertise lies in the field of psychology, Miller's passion for animal welfare led her to become a devoted rescuer of chihuahuas, or as she likes to call them, her chicos. Over the years, she fostered and found loving homes for countless dogs, earning the admiration of her colleagues, students, and chicos alike. The foundation for fostering started years ago when Miller began her career as an English teacher for secondary and high school students. During that time she became deeply interested in the mental well-being of her students and what was going on in their minds. Miller reflected on her experience. “I kind of got intrigued with what was going on with the kids, you know, do they really feel like reading Romeo and Juliet when they have bad things happening at home or, you know, having emotional issues? I was like, Oh, I think I want to be a school counselor,” Miller said. “And so I started going back to school to get my master's degree, and when I got into my program, I was more intrigued with the mental health aspects rather than school counseling. So I went that direction and got into mental health counseling.” Following her time in counseling, Miller realized she missed being in the classroom and surrounded by kids. “I like working with the older students, the adults. I call them all kids,” Miller said. With a newfound appreciation for teaching, she pondered her next steps. Miller said, “I thought, well, I'll go get my PhD. Because I thought I might teach at the college level. I didn't want to go back to the public schools. So that's what I did, I got my PhD.” During her PhD studies in Portland, Or. Miller formed an unexpected bond with a special companion. While she didn’t realize it at the time, the encounter marked the beginning of a lifelong devotion to a particular breed: chihuahuas. Miller then dove into the story. “I was in my PhD program out in Oregon, and I was living in a trailer court. There were these people that lived in a horseshoe trailer court. They had this dog, and they didn't really want the dog. It was a Chihuahua. But they were taking care of it, and these people weren't very responsible, either. I think there were some drugs going on down that way.” Miller’s compassion drove her to check on the little dog one day. “So I knew the dog was there. I'd seen the dog outside a few times on a little chain. I came back from school, and it was really hot in Portland, Ore. And I thought I'm gonna go down to make sure that dog has water, because I was just, you know, I like dogs.” said Miller. The conclusion of the story is heartwarming and reminiscent of a scene straight out of a heartwarming children's movie. “When I went around the corner, there was this little black and white Chihuahua with a choke chain on her. And she looked up at me, and I swear she smiled. I picked her up, took the choke chain off. I thought, ‘when they come home, I'm gonna tell them they need to be a little more responsible’, but they never came. They didn't want the dog back. So I ended up keeping the dog. Her name was Lupe. I knew that much about her. The vet said she was probably about eight or nine, and she had some issues, but she was just the cutest dog. And I just, I don't know, there was just something about her. And after that, I was hooked.” said Miller After years of traveling and owning several Chihuahuas, Miller made the decision to return to Casper and live closer to her family. At about the same time, Casper College was looking for a general psychology professor. She applied for and earned the position, which is a job she still holds to this day. “I mean, this is probably one of the best jobs I've ever had. I really liked the people that I work with, and I really liked the students” Miller said. Nowadays Miller has four dogs, and a cat, all of them from a different source. Miller said, “I have a long-haired Chihuahua, and then I have a short-haired Chihuahua. And then my mom, I got her dogs because she passed away. She had a papillon, which is kind of like a chihuahua except that it has a lot of hair. I'm a sucker for rescuing dogs. So I ended up rescuing a Chi-whippet. It's kind of like a miniature greyhound. She's kind of bigger than when I first saw her. I thought she was smaller. But then she looked so sad. And she was all skinny and scrawny. So we took her and so I've got four dogs now.” Miller said her cat is also from an unlikely place. “She's a stray. I always end up with the refugees. She just started showing up in our backyard. And I was like, ‘Oh, hi, cat.’ I was like, Oh, I'll get a can of tuna fish. So we started putting out cans of tuna fish, and she'd show up. She is so funny, because she is a bully to the Chihuahuas. She's a bully, she'll stand at the top of the stairs on the deck and won't let them up.” Adopting a pet is a big responsibility that requires careful consideration and preparation. Being mindful when adopting a pet ensures the animal receives the proper care, attention, and love that it deserves, leading to a happy and healthy life together. Unfortunately, not every animal adoption is as nice and wholesome as Miller’s, as she told Chinook. “That's what's happening right now. During the pandemic, I think the statistic is something like one in every five households adopted a pet during the pandemic. And now they're giving them away to shelters and whatnot, because they've had to go back to work. Chihuahuas specifically, they're on the top 10 List everywhere you look in terms of animals being put in shelters and abandoned. They're up there with the pit bull and the other big dogs, which is kind of surprising.” Miller's journey is an inspiration for those who wish to follow their passion and make a positive impact in the world. Her dedication to animal welfare and her beloved chicos led her to become a role model for students, colleagues, and animal lovers alike. Her story of how she became a rescuer of chihuahuas is heartwarming. Miller's work as a psychology instructor at Casper College and her passion for animal welfare shows how good it can be to do what you love and help those in need. �May 1, 2023 CHINOOK Page 7 Let's Rodeo! The 67th Annual CC Ropin’ and Riggin’ Days Lucy Jane Crimm/Chinook Left, CC rodeo clowns try to redirect a bull after a bull riding event at the 67th annual Ropin' and Riggin' Days. Lucy Jane Crimm/Chinook Below, Casper College's Beau Rees and Laramie County Community College's Dane Pokorny participate in the Wild Ride, an additioanl event at the Saturday night performance. Cassidy Espenscheid rides past after roping a calf in the breakaway roping event. Lucy Jane Crimm/Chinook Above, CC Bareback Rider Myles Carlson holds onto his bronc while competing in the 67th annual Ropin’ and Riggin’ days. To the right, two CC rodeo team members, Garrett Titmus and Jasper Neal untie a calf during the tie down roping. Lucy Jane Crimm/Chinook � 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 2023-05 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. 2023-05 Description An account of the resource This is a copy of the online Chinook Newspaper from May 2023. 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_2023-05 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/8875d2963be82c5b2eb7d9b7db412698.pdf 2f1e98ca4e5334b3dbb5ba067b186c1f PDF Text Text October 1, 2023 Casper College’s Student Voice Since 1945 Casper College hosts seminar on AI Lucy Jane Crimm/Chinook Keynote speaker A.J. Juliani spoke at Casper College on September 20. His keynote addresses focused on teaching and learning in the age of artificial intelligence. Juliani is the author of "Adaptable," a Wall Street Journal and USA Today best seller. He also won awards for his blogging, speeches and other best selling books. He works for the Univerisity of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. Exchange students elevate the playing field Karsen Kling Chinook Contributor Each year Casper College diligently seeks out the finest athletic talent to build top-tier rosters. About one third of the students that fill these teams are exchange students from foreign countries. Mala Stagg works as CC’s international and athletic student coordinator, a role she’s held for over 9 years. Stagg has a front row seat in seeing what an impact the exchange students make to CC’s athletic teams, as well as the struggles they encounter. "There are a lot of technicalities that come with exchange students being able to have the same opportunities as domestic students," said Stagg when asked about her role as international and athletic student coordinator. It is Stagg’s job to help and make sure that the foreign athletes have the required documentation and paperwork to come to CC. The most common required paperwork is an I20 document, which is needed in order for students to get their F-1 visa. Students must go through their country’s embassy to get their visa, which is what allows them access into a different country for college. The only caveat to this is that Canadian students don’t have to get a visa from their embassy; they just need an I-20 document. Stagg shared the biggest advantage of having exchange athletes. “Our program is very unique, as we get personally involved with our students. The diversity they bring into the state of Wyoming opens up a whole new way to see things,” Stagg said. But with all advantages come disadvantages: exchange students must pay three times the average cost of tuition instate students pay, have healthinsurance as a requirement of their visa, and need proof of funds for school-fees/living expenses before entering the United States. The exchange student program greatly impacts CC sports, as they make up 35% of the college’s sports teams. The percentage drastically increased since adding the men's and women's soccer programs at CC in 2020. “With 40% of our men’s team being Canadians, it makes me proud to say that we are big contributors to the team,” said Canadian Chase — See Exchange Page 3 Photo Courtesy of BreAnne Benson Pictured to the right is freshman rodeo team member Chase Siemens. He is a Canadian native riding bareback for Casper College's team. He spoke with the Chinook about his experience as an exchange student studying in the U.S. Swipe, chat, date, repeat Navigating college dating in the digital era Lucy Jane Crimm Chinook Writer In the age of swipes and likes, college dating has undergone a significant transformation. Online dating provided a faster means to connect with potential romantic partners, but it also introduced safety concerns and cultivated a new culture surrounding dating. Instead of venturing out to meet new people and investing time to determine compatibility, students can now gain insights into someone's personality and lifestyle through a brief profile summary and chosen interests. “One of the benefits [of online dating] is I can meet more people faster, I no longer have to go to the bar or go to parties. I can just hop on my phone,” graphic design major Travis Scribner said. “But I would also say that one of the drawbacks is that I can meet people faster because it can take that personal quality away… and it opens up the opportunity for completely weird and random people to ruin other people’s lives” Dating as a college student presents its own unique set of challenges– many students recently graduated from high school and are still navigating the transition into adulthood. With many students moving away from home, family and friends, they have to build a new social circle and gain a deeper understanding of their own identity. Online dating can help alleviate some of the anxiety, awkwardness and stress that often comes with meeting and dating people through college events or in classes. “My college dating experience could be better,” business major Ryley Henrie said. “A lot of people don’t know what they want, they’re not quite ready to know what they want, and then they change what they want so it’s just hard to know… On dating apps you see a lot more people. You might meet someone you would have never met otherwise.” But online dating also brought cause for concern. Having access to more people also means potentially having access to more dangerous people. Interacting through text, without the ability to gauge body language, makes it easier for individuals to deceive others and pretend to be someone they are not. “Everytime I use [Tinder] it’s comparable to a drug deal,” Scribner said. “You don’t know who you’re meeting up with. You don’t know what kind of person they are, and you don’t know what their background is.” Scribner became more cautious after avoiding a potentially dangerous situation. He matched with someone on Tinder with plans to meet up. However, he grew cautious when she insisted on picking him up instead of him driving to meet her. “There was one person I almost met with– she lived in Midwest and something about it just really seemed weird. Something about their… digital language, that’s the best way I can describe it. Something just seemed wrong,” Scribner said. Online dating also fosters an environment where catfishing becomes more prevalent, which occurs when someone creates and uses a fake identity on social media. Henrie experienced a form of catfishing after investing nine months into a long-distance relationship with someone from Atlanta, Ga, whom they met on the dating app Taimi. The two of them would FaceTime every night and even watch movies together by syncing up their Netflix, but even then, they didn’t get the full picture. “Eventually I got him to come down [to Casper],” Henrie said. “[He] did not look the same in person. I know you FaceTime to see if it’s the real person, and it was really him, but he looked different. Let me tell you, you don’t get the side profile or the height aspect on — See Dating Page 3 �Page 2 October 1, 2023 CHINOOK A note from Pete: Chinook Stance I spent part of one summer while in college helping my uncle and his crew bale hay. Hot, miserable work, especially if you spent the previous nine months in a dormitory. I was often tentative and uncomfortable amid the bales, waiting for him to tell what to do. Finally, one night driving back from the field, he looked at me a little exasperated, “You will never learn to drive if you ride in the back seat.” AI & journalism? Not so fast. “ Lucy Jane Crimm LucyJane’s Literature You know when you walk into a soda shop and your first instinct is to argue with your server about politics and media? Yeah, me neither. The other day I was minding my own business at work when a customer came in and decided he wanted to start arguing with me about how artificial intelligence should replace journalists in the media. Maybe the right thing to do would be to just bite my tongue, but no self-respecting media major is going to do that. The situation itself was annoying, and I could go on about how you shouldn’t bother people who are serving you food and drinks so they can put food on their table, but I’ll save that rant for another day. Instead, I want to talk about the viability of replacing human journalists with A.I. A.I. journalists sound like a brilliant idea at face value -- they’re robots, so they don’t have any bias. The main argument this customer gave me is that having A.I. journalists will eliminate the bias in news stories. The A.I. will tell the stories purely as they happen and they won’t add any of the fluff that humans do. My rebuttal to that is, who is programming the A.I. through billions of data points? Humans. Who is coding the AI? Humans. Human bias can still come through in A.I. because it’s a human creation. Yes, A.I. can learn and develop with more information, but all the information it’s receiving is from humans. He also brought up that A.I. doesn’t have emotion and this would make the writing stronger. I wholeheartedly disagree. I think having human emotions strengthens journalistic writing, as long as the reporter knows how to separate their emotions from their bias. Humans are emotional creatures, and we respond when emotions are evoked. Having empathy plays a big role in how journalists report on sensitive and personal topics. Emotions also allow journalists to hold true to their morals and ethical reporting. When used in the right way, emotions make a powerful story that makes an impact on the readers. An important point that I would like to bring up is this: A.I. is a powerful tool we can use to improve and speed up our journalistic writing, but encouraging this idea that A.I. should fully replace human journalists means that hundreds of passionate people will lose their jobs. I want to become a journalist because I am passionate about granting people their right to know. I am passionate about using journalism to hold the government accountable. And most of all, I am passionate about telling people’s stories to make an impact. A.I. may be able to write a story, but it will never feel that kind of passion. So, if the customer who came in that day is reading this -- you tell me if an A.I. could’ve written this column. His main point was I shouldn’t need him to find me work. But he was also telling me to take charge and be more assertive with my life. When I was teaching classes here at Casper College, I often saw that same issue with some of my students. They were waiting for me to guide them when often the answer was in their own hands. If this is you, make a point in your next class to lead a discussion or offer an opinion. If you are part of a group project, take on the leadership role. If you don’t understand something in class, chat with your instructor during office hours. Find a study group and set up regular meetings. Outside of class, join a club on campus or attend a college event. Start up a conversation with someone you just met. Find some time for yourself. I only offer this, because after that summer, I realized I didn’t enjoy throwing hay bales onto the back of a truck. That fall semester, I took my uncle’s advice and started stretching my abilities, trying new things, setting some goals and becoming comfortable with the unknown. I even signed up to compete on an intramural water polo team even though my swimming abilities were rocklike. Most important, I learned quickly that the front seat is always the better view. Outside of class, join a club on campus or attend a college event. Start up a conversation with someone you just met. Find some time for yourself" — Dr. Pete Van Houten, Dean of the School of Social and Behavorial Sciences The state of our future... It seems to me that Gen Z is increasingly less and less focused on politics or what is going on around the world. Many believe that politics or anything political only incorporates controversial issues like abortion, gun control, and Covid-19. These people avoid anything in the media because they believe it’s unimportant. They see a policy as an inconvenience or a conspiracy without reading about that specific issue or what is actually happening. Most young adults think that the world of news and global issues only encapsulates the worst of the worst. For example, take a look at the ongoing tensions between the Democratic and Republican parties. This feud has been around for decades, causing individuals to choose and pick what they see or hear based on party affiliation. The us versus them mentality takes away any room for discourse or appropriate conversation. It seems we are more focused on aligning with a party than on the actual policies being put into place that affect us all on an individual level. Such practice leaves room for harmful and negative bills or policies to fly under the radar with no hesitation or resistance. If individuals, specifically younger audiences, ignore or do not follow what is going on around them, then they have no power to change anything. They cannot influence what laws or bills are passed, who to put in office, or how situations are solved in their own communities. All in all, thinking that politics is only a world of fighting and fake news is detrimental to our society. The viral issues spreading across social media hold a small percentage of what actually goes on in political settings. The state of our future rests on the backs of the younger generations. If this population chooses to ignore what is going on around them or what policies are being passed or talked about, then nothing beneficial will happen. Many individuals of Gen Z feel as though their voice doesn’t matter so they cannot make an impact. Unfortunately, this type of thinking is the reason for those complaints. Educating ourselves on these issues is also incredibly important for each individual person. Active participation leads to more empowerment. Learning how to Nina Bivens Nina's Negotiations interpret and interact with political figures or simple policies teaches important life skills. It also leads to a world filled with knowledge, ranging from human rights to citizenship. Young people’s voices matter. However, the only way to truly make change in the world is to allow yourself to be immersed in what is going on outside your door. caspercollegechinook.com Taking online or hybrid courses? Students: We make sure you are able to access online learning resources needed to learn in your classes. We will also help you learn to utilize the digital tools available to you for all your classwork. Examples of items we can help with: 1. MyCCMoodle — including how to submit assignments, participate in forums, etc. 2. ZOOM – help you learn to access and use Zoom for your remote course meetings and collaborations 3. Google Suite — Google Docs, Drive, GMail, etc. 4. Accessing Office 365 .- such as MS Word and PowerPoint 5. Online tutoring — How and where to get extra help as you need it, using NetTutor. Plus a lot more! Contact us. Don’t wait! Get your Questions answered now. Teresa Pat Mike Tyler For help or more information stop by Liesinger Hall, room 132 or contact us at 307-268-3882, dlc@caspercollege.edu, and av@caspercollege.edu. Dave Camille �October 1, 2023 Page 3 CHINOOK Exchange................................................ Siemens, a freshman on the Casper College Rodeo Team. When asked what made him decide to leave the maple leaf country for school, Siemens’ only answer was “to rodeo, make the college finals, and to get better at riding bucking horses.” With his hometown of Dating......... Chetwynd B.C. being over a 21-hour drive away, it was quite the decision to come to Casper for school. Siemens said the highlight of his time at CC so far was winning the first college rodeo in Chadron, Neb., and he is looking forward to another win September 22nd -24th in Riverton, Wyo. continued from page 1 These students are not just here to showcase their outstanding talent, over half of the exchange students that come to CC leave with a degree. Most students will graduate with a general studies degree as certain courses have too many years of school than their visa will allow them to complete. continued from page 1 FaceTime.” Not only did he not look the way he appeared to look online, but he also had a bad personality to boot. Colleges can play a more active role in ensuring students can explore dating options safely. While there are plenty of school events that offer students the chance to get out and meet new people, some college students believe they could benefit from dating events on campus or safe spaces provided for in-person meetings. “[The college] could totally make a meet up space where if you want to meet up in person, the college is there. They could provide a space, if anything goes wrong they know what happens. I think that would be cool,” Henrie said. Students could also benefit from college events that put a spin on classic dating events. “I think it would be kind of funny if the college put on a speed dating activity– where you sit in chairs, rotate and talk to one person after the next,” Scribner said. Lucy Jane Crimm/Chinook The Tinder login screen– Tinder is a dating app popularized by its “swiping” feature where the user swipes left on a profile to reject it and right on a profile to “like” them. If both people swipe right on each other, then they match and they can start chatting. New building brings WRITING CENTER new life to art programs Lane Johnson Chinook Writer Casper College opened a new visual art building in the fall of 2022 that allows students in the arts program to thrive in a new environment. The program offers five unique majors and each is tailored to student’s personal interests. The majors include: graphic design, photography, fine art, art education and museum/ gallery studies. Even if not majoring in art, the classes are open to any student on campus. Art Department Academic Chair Justin Hayward explained that six faculty members work full time to teach the program. He talked about how each major is geared towards moving students into their desired job field. CC acts as a gateway to a larger institution, and the art program wants to prepare students for the next step according to Hayward Hayward said he believes that “four year institutions will help guide [students]” to understand what job they wish to pursue after college. He also talked about how each individual is different, and it is not out of the ordinary to find success after only two years at CC. Hayward showed excitement for the new art building. “The best thing about the new building is the space,” Hayward said. Students are given more freedom to explore interests because of the new space and Hayward talked about how student enjoyment has increased. Hayward said that enrollment into the program increased since the new building opened. Sophomore art student Grant Hoffard agreed that the new building makes a difference. The Writing Center at Casper College is here to help our students and members of the community. Brainstorm possible paper topics Craft an essay Gain writing strategies And so much more! Lane Johnson/Chinook The Dick and Marialyce Tobin Visual Arts Center opened to students last spring. “Oh, one hundred percent,” he said when asked if the new building makes the art program more appealing to students. Hoffard said he feels comfortable with the access to equipment and technology available, largely due to the new building. Hoffard plans to work in digital design and wants to make sports graphics for a division one school. He stated that CC helped to “broaden his art knowledge” and, he believes he can pursue his dreams easier. Hoffard gave credit to instructor Cythia Harrison for helping him throughout his college career. Hoffard said, “She has a long history with working in graphic design.” According to Hoffard, Harrison helped him know what type of career he wants to pursue. The art program at CC saw major improvements with the addition of the new art building. The building gives access to the new technology, and the space brings joy and excitement to the students who utilize it. 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 �Page 4 CHINOOK The show must go on October 1, 2023 New production of 'The Drowsy Chaperone' Carlos Fandal III Chinook Writer In a mix of laughter, music, and nostalgia, the curtains will rise on a joyous production at Casper College, as the campus theater troupe brings to life the timeless charm of 'The Drowsy Chaperone.' The play is a celebration of Broadway's Golden Age, and has taken center to captivate audiences with its humor, wit and toetapping tunes. As the cast and crew transport us back to the glamor of 1920’s theater, it’s important to stop and think about the endless hard work that goes into such a production. For some, it’s an entire lifetime of work that goes into each and every Casper College production. Theater’s many moving pieces provide an interesting challenge, but a challenge that many are proud to overcome time and time again. Richard Burk, CC’s theater degree coordinator and director of many CC plays including the Drowsy Chaperone, welcomes the stress of preparation with open arms. “We have a very positive group of people. As a result, the show is developing more quickly than it would develop if we had people who couldn't see the positive side of things. As a result, they're taking more ownership with what they're doing, rather than sitting back. When everybody feels like they're working on a team, then it's positive. It's not stressful in a negative way, I had a teacher who said that stress is both positive and negative,” said Burk. Burk continued to elaborate on the emotions behind the curtain. The satisfaction of completing a production comes with a sadness of it all ending. “We've been working on this since August 25. Every weeknight, and we've had one Saturday. People, and the city have invested so much time, energy, and effort into it. They're (students) taking it in stride,” said Burk. “Following the closing of the show, there's a sort of void that needs to be filled. Of course, because they're college students, there's a lot to fill that. It's still something that was routine is now missing. Something that was so satisfying, once we get this show in front of an audience, it's incredibly satisfying, because the audience will love it.” Theater operates like a well-oiled machine. Everything holds a specific place, and everything is moving. The production contains endless moving pieces that the audience may not even notice. One extremely important aspect of theater is led by Darrell Wagner, the head of the costume department. Wagner has worked in the costume department for years, but he’s been interested in the glamor for even longer. The work of a costume lead is perfectly reflected by their workshop. They can be chaotic and stressful, but in Wagner’s case, the results are always pretty. Wagner alluded to his love of the work. “I started when I was a kid watching TV back in the day. The Carol Burnett Show, and Sonny and Cher show. Those variety shows had all of these costumes and all of this stuff. And I learned that Bob Mackie, the designer, was designing both shows. One person does all of that work every week, and that's sort of where I started. Find somebody you admire, follow what they do, and learn how they do it.” Wagner said. Wagner then expressed some of the difficulties that come with the job. “I'm responsible for everything the performers do or do not wear? If they’re wearing a certain ring, or a certain watch, or earrings. Everything that the audience sees -- I make those choices. Is it appropriate for the char- Carlos Fandal III/Chinook Theater productions operate like a well-oiled machine, and one aspect of the production is the costumes and wardrobe. CC's workshop is pictured above. acter? Is it appropriate for the show? Is it appropriate for the time period?” Wagner said, he then went further. “A lot of moving pieces, and I gotta keep track of all of them. I have to decide; what are we making?” Wagner said. The Casper College production of "The Drowsy Chaperone" showcases dedication and passion. The laughter and nostalgia are direct results of the immense effort behind the scenes. The production staff is happy to Casper College's Nursing Program keeps striving Bernadette Pieper/Chinook Pictured here is one of the stimulation rooms that the student nurses use to learn how to evaluate patients as part of their coursework at Casper College. Bernadette Piper Chinook Writer The Casper College Nursing Program keeps succeeding today just as it’s done for the past 54 years in graduating close to 2,000 students. The nursing program graduates 64 students each year. CC added the nursing program in 1969. Students who graduate from Casper College with their associates in nursing will go to the work field or they will go to the University of Wyoming to seek a bachelor’s degree in nursing. “We (faculty) encourage our nursing students to consider going to the university to seek a bachelor’s degree,” said Marge Christiansen, director of nursing and alumni of the CC nursing program. “Casper College works well with the University and with the rest of the colleges in Wyoming. All of the ten colleges get together once a year to look at the curriculum and see what needs to be done to help better the nursing students. ” Each year, CC’s nursing program accepts up to 64 students each year. Though the faculty selects the top 32 students each semester after the students take the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) tests and are ranked by a series of requirements to get into the nursing program. Students are ranked with every test score and letter grade for each class to get into the nursing program. The process happens every fall and spring semester. “I think that it was not very hard for me to get into the nursing program. With already having an associate’s degree in health science, those grades helped with the points needed to be ranked into the program,” said Katie Baumstarck, first semester nursing student and CC Alumni. “Getting good grades helps you to have a better chance of getting into the nursing program.” The program’s students come from all over the country, and some come from out of the U.S. There are students from California, Alaska, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Africa and the Philippines among others. “I came to Casper for the Nursing Program because I have heard great things about it. I also graduated last year with my associates degree in a different health science field,” Baumstarck said. The students have similar answers to why they come to CC for nursing rather than other colleges as to the faculty. Students and the faculty see a lot of good things about the nursing program here at CC. “Students come to Casper College because they see we have a great program,” Christiansen said. “I think that students come here because our clinicals are a wide range to work with. We have four hospitals, one nursing home, public health, cancer center, and hospice care.” The options for clinicals help the students find where they want to work once they get their LPN or RN certification. The clinicals happen in the second and third semesters out of the four semesters the degree takes to earn. The second year the students work more with clinical rotations and are closer to graduation. Once clinicals are done the students take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). The NCLEX is a test that licenses the students as nurses. Then they are ready for the pinning ceremony, graduation, and finding a job. The nursing students can take part in the Student Nursing Association (SNA), which is the nursing club that is also recognized on campus. SNA gives out Thanksgiving baskets, helps with Food for Thought, and collects food for the food pantry on campus. The CC nursing program keeps succeeding each year by continuing to graduate successful students. embrace the stress as an avenue for growth and teamwork. “It taught me to care about people, because I got involved in theater when I was too young to care about people. Whether it's a comedy, tragedy, drama… Everything that engages the audience has to do with facing life's challenges” Burk said. The Drowsy Chaperone premieres on October 13 at 7:30 p.m. Additional evening show dates include: October 14, 19, and 20. CC will host matinee shows on October 14 and 21 at 2 p.m. The department is also premiering “It’s a Wonderful Life” in November. “Pencils Down!” and Percy Jackson’s “The Lightning Thief” are currently slated to premiere in February and April. Take in the shows in CC’s Gertrude Krampert theater. The effort put forward by all involved may not always be directly seen, but when everything comes together, the show goes on. �October 1, 2023 Pharmacy Technology Page 5 CHINOOK More than counting pills Up, Up and Away! Geoffrey Cooper/Chinook Sheri Fulfer, director of the pharmacy technology program, is pictured here at CC's simulated pharmacy. Geoffrey Cooper Chinook Writer Casper College continues to develop its pharmacy technician program with more realistic training and equipment to keep pace with the ever-evolving medical industry. “A lot of things have changed in the pharmacy world,” said Adriana Gutierrez, a former Casper College student and current licensed pharmacy technician. Despite these changes, Gutierrez believes that the strong foundation of drug knowledge she built in CC’s program really set her up for success. She said the program prepared her for all the pharmacy tech positions that she held up to now. Gutierrez even received Wyoming’s 2022 Pharmacy Tech of the Year in August. Currently, pharmacy techs are employed in all kinds of positions from your local pharmacy and insurance companies, to research institutions and even to work from home positions. Gutierrez herself started a new position at Banner Health in February as a charge audit technician. She is responsible for ensuring that patients are charged appropriately and for the correct drugs after a procedure. Most of these jobs don’t fit the typical perception of what a pharmacy tech does, however. Sheri Fulfer, the director of the pharmacy technology program, said she loves to challenge such perceptions. When she asks people what a pharmacy tech does, she is typically met with a short response. “Count pills.” she said,” But there is so much more to it than that.” This is where the new equipment and training comes in. The program implemented a new IV lab for students to practice preparing IV bags in a simulated hospital setting. They also established a notionally sterile room for the students to practice sterile preparations. Students scrub and don personal protective equipment or PPE in the same way one would in a surgical center, to ensure students develop good habits associated with sterile procedures. The additional facilities allow each student to learn how to prepare medications that are a bit more intricate than your average pill or yes, even lollipops. Fulfer said, “We’ll put medicine into anything to get it into a person’s body.” The whole set up runs like a real pharmacy during student labs. Once the lights come on, they’re in business. People come in and shop for over-the-counter medications, others call in to ask questions or complain, and the students run everything as though it were real life. The medical field can get hectic, and Fulfer says this sort of training helps to reduce the initial culture shock. Each student also maintains access to their own personal equipment, and with a class size of only thirteen, the program allows for a great deal of familiarity and one-on-one instruction. Fulfer doesn’t want to stop there though. She is committed to expanding the program and getting more students on board. She said she can’t prepare enough technicians to meet the needs of the community. There is a statewide shortage of techs, so much so, that pharmacies reach out to the program for potential applicants. Wyoming requires pharmacy techs to be certified, and CC is the only accredited program in the state. If interested in certification, reach out to Sheri Fulfer and set up an interview. Join our staff this spring! Practice interviewing & writing Take photos & design Learn sales & advertising Explore social media & web development The Chinook is a one credit class titled Independent Publications. Contact our faculty advisor Bri Weigel for more information brianne.weigel@caspercollege.edu Lucy Jane Crimm/Chinook Students begin filling up the balloon with helium. The high altitude balloon is part of the National Science Foundation grant and it is a NASA funded project. Lucy Jane Crimm/Chinook Above from left: Ashlyn Stoneking, Lily Trujillo and Dakota Shenn test the signal from the balloon to the dish. The dish was used to stream video from the balloon back to the computers. Left, the balloon flies off into the distance after the first practice launch on August 26. The balloon is followed by four payloads with Raspberry computers inside. �Page 6 October 1, 2023 CHINOOK Speakers explore living in the age of AI Lucy Jane Crimm/Chinook Top left: Students, faculty, staff and community members gathered for the 2023 School of Social and Behavioral Sciences Seminar at Casper College on September 20. The seminar's theme was 'AI: A fork in the Road. Navigating Turns in Tech,' featuring talks from CC faculty members and keynote presenations by bestselling author, A.J. Juliani. Lucy Jane Crimm/Chinook Top right, from left: Casper College students Jayden Wright and Levi Shupick enjoyed a morning presentation in Wheeler Concert Hall. Lucy Jane Crimm/Chinook To the left, students particiated in a Living Room Conversations activity led by Education Instructor Jenny Johnson. Living Room Conversations filled the afternoon portion of the seminar. The topic of the conversation matched the theme of the day, as students respectfully explored the impacts of AI in society. Casper College ASL Club plans for Adventure Nina Bivens Chinook Writer Submitted Photo The ASL club is pictured above. Front from left: Rachel Bates, Marie Hines, Savanah Fowles. Back from left: Grace Echols, Maxwell vonGunten, Rosie Brown, Brayden Ingham, Zoe Law, Elizabeth Meats, Blade Wiese, Emily Smith, Marcelle Watts, Natalie Benson The Casper College American Sign Language Club kicked off with its first meeting of the year on September 15. The meeting focused on brainstorming what the Club wants to accomplish for the school year. Through the conversation, one topic kept resurfacing – Community. The signing population of Casper has struggled to come together because they lack resources to plan, meet, or schedule events. However, Gail Schenfisch, ASL Instructor and ASL Club leader explained that student effort in the past six years aided in reversing the trend. “Th rough students' enc ou r a gem ent a nd suggestions, I designed four semesters of classes. We are the only community college in the state that offers a degree in Asl.” Schenfisch said. The ASL program focuses on opportunities for students to be active with ASL and not be afraid of being excluded. However, the major goal of the program is to bring people together regardless of whether they know how to sign in ASL or not. One of the major hurdles of growing the ASL program hinges on people hesitant to join. Yet, Schenfisch mentioned that ASL is for everyone. She said, “That's what we are designed for, to be open to Casper College students to know more about ASL and deafness and anything in the community related to sign language.” CC student and ASL member Eva Stone also spoke about how important ASL is. Stone mentioned that “It is not only a language but a gateway to communication with a community that has such a rich culture. The best way to learn sign is to immerse yourself in it, and ASL club helps you do just that. It is an easy chill environment with students of various skill levels helping each other practice.” This year, the ASL club will focus on incorporating its club into the community. Every year, the program plans a community service project and hosts a potluck to bring people together each semester. Schenfisch also mentioned that the organization is planning a trip for ASL students to attend Deaf Safari Days at the Denver Zoo October 1, as well as several students going to a Silent Immersion Weekend in Estes Park on November 17-19. Additionally, The ASL Club hosts the Deaf Expressive Arts Festival, giving students or other individuals another chance immerse themselves in ASL. The festival plans on incorporating deaf artists and speakers into the lives of people who would not otherwise be involved with the signing or deaf community. Indigenous Student Alliance brings awareness to Casper Kassadee Lym Chinook Writer The Indigenous Student Alliance strives to share cultural influence and community at Casper College as a newly formed campus club. When Lysander Blackbird, a student at Casper College and the founder of the Indigenous Student Alliance, first encountered the Thunderbird mascot and Eagle Dancer statue, he questioned Native American influence on campus. Blackbird said, “A lot of people don’t realize how much Native American culture is within the college.” Native American needs drove Blackbird to form the club. He admitted the whole process felt overwhelming. He said, "No one is there to guide you. So it was just me with the advisor most of the time.” Daniel Gallegos, six-year political science instructor, stepped in as that advisor. Not only did Blackbird and Gallegos agree on the importance of a Native-centered club, but they also agreed on the group's mission. Blackbird explained that his intention to establish a safe environment for Native American students quickly also provided an opportunity for others to immerse themselves in his culture. Within the first year, Blackbird and his small team set out to accomplish a major goal -- to host a Native Powwow. Despite hesitancy about the time frame, Blackbird pushed his team forward. Blackbird recalled comments from his skeptics, “Some of the faculty was like in a month? You can’t get it done in a month.” Blackbird said he responded with “Watch.” His determination won, as Blackbird’s group successfully hosted an event that united a community. Gallegos recalled that the Powwow matched the club’s vision; it created a sense of community. He also mentioned, “I’m most proud they took the step and have not given up.” Gallegos emphasized a remarkable case where the club's impact on the community brought benefits to a jewelry artist. Gallegos explained that while the jewelry maker felt hesitant to attend the Powwow, she did so with Blackbird's encouragement. At the Powwow, she made enough money to pay for her son’s chemotherapy treatment. Galloegos said, “That to me is community.” Still, the group does not plan to slow down anytime soon. Gallegos and Blackbird both have big plans ahead. In the future Blackbird mentioned he would love to see the club with its own space or building. Soon, he hopes to organize an art exhibition that showcases Native artifacts and Indigenous work. With the success of the group’s Powwow, they only plan to expand moving forward. Gallegos further explained that he aims to build trust between Native families and Casper College. The club leaders understand that it can be intimidating to join a new group. However, they encourage potential members to reach out to the club that promotes Indigenous heritage and community. Blackbird pointed out, “We would be more than happy to make room for others.” Submitted Photo Indigenous Student Alliance members are pictured from left to right: Hilda Ordonez, Herman Vasquez, and Lysander Blackbird, as they promote their event, Orange Shirt Day. Gallegos offered fellowship as a benefit for members. He said, “Here, it's accepted for who you are.” Gallagoes encourages those who want to learn more about the Indigenous Student Alliance to reach out to either Blackbird or himself. �October 1, 2023 Page 7 CHINOOK Student Senate plans to improve campus activity, safety, and student life with multiple projects Rebecca Schilt Chinook Contributor The Casper College Student Senate revealed its in-progress plans to improve student life on campus this academic year. Talks of new parking areas, grab-and-go snack shacks, and much more are circulating the groups meetings. CC’s Student Senate kept busy this first month of school, brainstorming ideas to make student life better and more enjoyable for those on campus. Kristina Pham, Student Senate faculty advisor and psychology instructor, spoke of student senate’s plans and recent progress towards looking into more parking areas and security cameras outside the residence hall and around campus. “We just got back pricing for the cameras, and it is going to be pretty expensive,” Pham said. "We need to meet with I.T. and facilities to see how possible it is.” Students and campus security brought up how parking situations on campus are subpar, and many believe that adding cameras would make our campus a much safer environment. Student Senate chewed on this subject for a time and is excited to see their plans in motion, however long it may take. “I think cameras and parking could get approved this year,” said Pham. “The issue lies with getting them installed this year as well.” While Pham is excited to see movement on this matter, she is hesitant to say how long it will truly take to see change. Taylee Siemens, CC sophomore and student senate president is focusing on more smallscale improvements. While discussing plans for changes around campus, she listed three main items. “One of the things the Student Senate is trying to do is increase voter registration,” said Siemens, “We have also discussed scooters on campus, as well as grab-and-go snack shacks.” Siemens spoke of the organization’s wanting to get students involved in politics more civilly and positively. Student senate is working on setting up voter registration tables this upcoming voting season and next semester. On top of voter registration tables, Siemens discussed ideas of snack shacks in the library, residence hall, and theatre building to allow students who don’t have time to stop at the dining hall or food pantry a chance for a quick bite. Siemens said, “We want to make sure the students are being well fed, and this is another way to do that and keep them happy.” Plans for the snack shack are not yet in motion, but Siemens hoped to bring up the topic at their most recent meeting. While the first two items may take longer to see progress, Siemens alluded to rumors of allowing electric scooters on campus, touching upon sports teams requesting scooters on campus as a better and faster way to get to class. “The issue here is there isn’t a policy against scooters. We have them for roller skating, blades, skateboards, and bikes, but not scooters,” said Siemens. “Right now, we are drafting one that we hope to bring to Dr. Divine and have approved.” According to Siemens, student senate and faculty are aware of how widespread the campus is, and arriving to class on time is an issue for students. The Student Senate is working tirelessly to make this possible for students and are looking forward to seeing results. While progress will take time, student senate is working on quite a lineup of changes and improvements at CC. About Us Discover the educational opportunities at UW Casper, the exclusive branch campus of the University of Wyoming. At UW Casper, we are dedicated to serving site-bound students, whether you're following a traditional path or pursuing education on your terms. Our diverse range of bachelor's and master's degree programs are offered through both asynchronous and traditional delivery methods, catering to your unique learning style. Plus, we're proud to offer a variety of scholarships to make higher education a valuable and accessible experience for every student. Join us in shaping your future at UW Casper, where excellence in education meets your needs. Bachelor Degrees Master’s Degrees Master of Social Workadvanced standing and standard programs available Master of Counseling- school counseling and mental counseling available Organizational Leadership Biology Communication Psychology Medical Laboratory Sciences Elementary Education Social Work Zoology Sociology Secondary Science Education Criminal Justice General Studies Career & Technical Education Make an appointment with an advisor today! 307-268-2713 Union/University Building #435 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 2023-10 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. 2023-10 Description An account of the resource This is a copy of the online Chinook Newspaper from October 2023. 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_2023-10 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF