9.23.14

Tuesday September 23, 2014Volume 28, Issue 3

In this edition...

Remembering9/11/2001

Page 2

Paying For SchoolPage 3

Just A ThoughtPage 5

HigherGradesPage 7

One of the two full time Spanish language instructors here at Front Range Westminster, Pam Ranallo has been with FRCC for the past 16 years. Starting her career at the Boulder County Campus in 1998, Ranallo would spend a decade teaching in Longmont before accepting a position at Westminster in 2008. In addition to her teaching responsibilities she is also a former chair of the Arts &

Humanities department at the Boulder County Campus as well as a Master Teacher Award winner for the 2003-2004 school year. She would continue that added contribution to the school, even after transferring campuses, as the former Study Abroad coordinator for all of FRCC.

Growing up in a small town in western New York, teaching wasn’t initially the plan; it was Spanish. “I

just loved it. I started in 9th grade and I thought it was the coolest thing. I just fell in love with the grammar, the structure and the sounds. I went to college, started day one as a Spanish major, and never looked back. There’s a question you can ask yourself about what you’re good at or what you like. Do you like it because you’re good at it, or are you good at it because you like it? I’m not quite sure how it all

happened. I just loved it from day one,” Ranallo said.

Taking that enthusiasm to SUNY, the State University of New York, at Buffalo, Ranallo would not only earn both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s in Spanish, while also studying Italian and some Portuguese, a requirement for her Masters, but would also study internationally. A semester in Spain during college served to further solidify a love for the Spanish language. “I just felt so privileged to be there because I was on fi nancial aid and I found a way to go,” Ranallo would remember. “I’m from a small town.” There’s nothing small about what was to come. There are 21 countries in the world that list Spanish as an offi cial language. Ranallo has been to 10 of them. “Ready for it? Spain, Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, Cuba and the Dominican Republic. I’ve studied in Mexico and spent six summers in Ecuador working and living.”

That’s not a resume you come across everyday. So where does teaching fi t into the picture? “When I was a graduate student, to do my masters, they gave me an assistantship. The assistantship was if I teach one class of Spanish every semester they’d pay my tuition. So they threw me into a class which was really scary. I wasn’t assisting anybody. And I just loved it. I love teaching college,” Ranallo said. That journey continued with a three

Sitting Down With Pam RanalloWritten by Koa Avery

Continued on Page 2

Photo by Koa Avery

The Front Page Page 2 September 23, 2014

Remembering the 9/11/2001 Tragedy: Where Were You?Written by Rachel Bruner

Spotlight on Faculty, cont.Written by Koa Avery

year teaching stint at Frostburg State in Maryland from 1993-95, followed by two years at the former Raymond Walters College from 1996-97, and on to her current tenure at Front Range.

Recalling 21 years of teaching that includes multiple positions of department chair or program coordinator, a Master Teacher award, and an abundance of international travel, it could prove difficult to

choose any one particular standout memory. For Ranallo, however, when asked what she considered to be the highlight of her career, there was no hesitation in her answer. “The study abroad [program]. Taking students to Ecuador and Mexico to give them the experience of their lives. Taking students to experience other countries and other cultures is the top one. For sure. Their lives change, it’s just

amazing.” Though Front Range no longer has faculty led study abroad programs “there are still resources. I’m one of them; students can come and ask about study abroad. We can find a program.” Seeing that program evaporate wasn’t easy. “It’s hard with community college students. A lot of times, school isn’t number one on their plate. They’ve got lives, and jobs. They’re not staying on a campus where

school is the focus everyday.” Those challenges have done

nothing to deter any ambitions for the future. “Speaking of Front Range and our department, we’d like to offer more languages,” Ranallo said. “Chinese is new, it just started this semester. Grow the Spanish program, and get Arabic back. Even an additional language after that.”

On Thursday, September 11th, 2014, Front Range Community College Westminster Campus created a memorial for the terrorist attacks that took place on September 11th, 2001. Surrounding the hallways near Student Life was a question for students and faculty: “Where were you?”

Students and faculty participated by placing a pin on either a Colorado State map or a United States map to mark their location on that fateful day; by around 2 p.m. on Thursday, September 11th, more than 25 different states were pinned down as well as an island in Mexico and the Bahamas.

To the right of the maps were two white boards, positioned there to allow students and faculty to thank FRCC veterans for their services. Below the white boards sat free memorial pins which featured black ribbons underneath American flags.

The terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001 caused “the largest loss of life, resulting from a foreign attack on American soil,” according to the 911memorial.org website. In total, an estimated 3,000 people died at the World Trade Center in New York City, in a plane crash near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and at the Pentagon in Washington D.C.

Important Dates - November 12, 2015 - Spring Registration BeginsNovember 15 - Last day to withdraw from a 15 week courseNovember 24-30 - Fall Break

Decemver 8 - Classes EndDecember 11 - Grades dueDecember 25-January 1 - Winter Break

Photo by Rachel Bruner

The Front Page Page 3September 23, 2014

Paying For School: The Process of Applying for Financial AidWritten By Koa Avery

Next time you’re sitting in class, take a look around at the other students. Chances are the vast majority of those students, and maybe even you, are relying on some type of assistance to attend school. According to the latest data from the National Center for Educational Statistics, roughly 85% of college students in the United States are receiving some type of financial aid. Though the statistics can be sectioned and analyzed in a myriad of ways, what it boils down to is the vast majority of college students are relying on financial assistance, and as such, should be as well informed as possible on the process of applying for financial aid. It can easily sound complicated and arduous. Words and phrases like “estimated family contribution”, “deferment”, and “forbearance” are used freely. Even the documentation itself, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), doesn’t roll off the tongue all that well.

The Front Page recently sat down with financial aid advisor Kirsten Holcomb, currently in her sixth year working at Front Range, to shed some light on the process.

When asked to provide an overview, Holcomb replied, “The starting point is the student applying for admission, and [completing the FAFSA].” That’s it? Not quite the complexity it can appear to be. The process, quite simply, is as follows:

1. Apply for admission 2. Complete the FAFSA, fafsa.

ed.gov “If the student comes in we can

give them the basics of [completing the FAFSA] and how to follow up. But if they haven’t [actually completed it], we can only give them real general information because we don’t have any idea of where they might land as far as eligibility level.” And therein lies two critical aspects of the process.

First of all, eligibility ultimately refers specifically to how much financial aid a student can receive. “The majority of the financial aid comes from the Department of Education. What we look at is eligibility for state and federal grants, student loans, and then the work study

program. The other most common type of aid would be scholarships. Front Range offers a lot of those internally through the Foundation, and there are thousands of external scholarships. We also have searches on our website for different scholarship sources,” Holcomb said. Student loans come to mind easily, but as Holcomb pointed out, there are a wide array of options outside of loans.

Secondly, “Every student’s situation is individual and different. It’s never good to take advice or make assumptions about your financial aid from what your friend in a class, or somebody else, has going on in their situation. We get a lot of that. The student’s best resource for their financial aid information is going to be either talking to us, or accessing their eWolf under the Student Finance tab. If they have questions, or concerns, or even if they aren’t sure what something means on there, even if it seems like an odd question. It’s never good to ask someone outside of financial aid, because even though that person might be trying to be helpful, they might not have the best information,” Holcomb added.

There is also the private sector for student loans. Holcomb, however, cautions against that route. “Private banks do student loans. We tend to recommend students only use those as a last resource.” The major differences between federal and private student loans are the interest rates and repayment options. Private loans aren’t bound by the same restrictions as federal loans. The interest rates can be variable, and much higher, and the loans aren’t necessarily in deferment (no payments required, though interest may still accrue) while still enrolled in school. Additionally, “you’re also going to have credit requirements, which these days are getting so much stricter,” Holcomb added.

With regard to the repayment options, federal loans have multiple ways of managing repayment, whereas private loans can vary depending on the policies of the institution. Federal loans are triggered for repayment, primarily, six months after a student graduates with a degree, or six

months after dropping below half time enrollment status. In the case of Front Range, where many students matriculate to a four year school, federal loans do not become due six months after leaving Front Range if the student is indeed enrolled at another school. At whatever point federal loans become due, studentloans.gov is one resource to be used in calculating and choosing between the various repayment plans available. There is a repayment estimator that allows you to tinker with the details of how long it will take to pay off any loan balances based on estimated monthly payments, and the various standardized plans that are available are covered in detail.

On the academic side of things there is also Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to consider. A student must maintain a 2.0 GPA, a class completion rate of at least 67%, and within a maximum timeframe of attempting 150% of required credit hours for their degree or certificate, to continue to be eligible for financial aid. As these are general guidelines, any situation that might be close to, or

in actual breach of, these guidelines should be discussed with a financial aid advisor.

All in all while there is some terminology and detail that can take some time to get accustomed to, the process itself is straightforward. As students reading this will have already been accepted for admission, the next step is to complete the FAFSA by “having the tax information [available]. Students and parents should complete their taxes as soon as they can. Usually about two weeks after they’ve done their taxes then they’re able to go online, do the FAFSA, link the tax data, and then it’s all done,” Holcomb said. Once all the documentation is complete, should there be unanswered questions or uncertainty about how to proceed, meeting with a financial aid advisor is the best course of action because, as Holcomb reiterated, every student’s situation is different.

Still have questions? Speak with a financial aid advisor. As Holcomb would repeat several times, “That’s what we’re here for.”

Interested in journalism and newspaper writing? Attend our free workshops taught by FRCC Journalism Instructor Nick Morris and sponsored by The Front Page Newspaper. Workshops are open to all FRCC students. Workshops are from 2:00-3:00pm in room C0204.

Workshops Dates:

September 26October 10October 24

November 14November 21

The Front Page Page 4 September 23, 2014

The Front Page Page 5September 23, 2014

Spotlight on the Art Department: New Classrooms and StudiosWritten by Rachel Bruner

Future plans in store for the Art Department at Front Range Community College, Westminster, include new classrooms, studios, and equipment. Construction will begin from December 2014 to May 2015 in the building where the Child Care Center used to be, according to FRCC Westminster’s Humanities and Fine Arts Department Chair and Art Program Lead Lydia Brokaw: “We are using classrooms that were not designed to be art studios – they are not adequate to what we need – so now we are going to have studios that are specifically designed,” Brokaw said.

Included in the construction of the building for the Art Department will be a new ceramics studio, jewelry studio, drawing and painting studio, a 2-D studio, and a general classroom. New equipment consists of kilns for ceramics classrooms as well as new equipment for jewelry making.

The Art Department at Front Range Community College Westminster Campus features classes in art history, photography, jewelry, drawing, painting, ceramics, multimedia design, and theatre art. All classes aim with the purpose, as Brokaw said, of “encouraging creativity and encouraging people to think innovatively.”

“Creativity is … a matter of putting odd things together, looking at uses for something in new ways – maybe turning something upside down and seeing something that no one else has

seen before,” Brokaw said. A University of South Florida

Master of Fine Arts graduate – the highest degree possible in her field – Brokaw has been a faculty member at Front Range Community College for the past sixteen years, nine of which have been in her current position. She explained that her goal for the art department is to “encourage [students] to explore and expand,” in classrooms, to be able to “see things new,” for students to know that they are in a “safe environment” to explore their ideas, and to allow students to figure out that sometimes those ideas don’t always work out the way they planned them to, but that it is okay to make those mistakes because students can learn from those mistakes. Another goal of the staff in the Art Department is to be a support for future artists by teaching them how to get started in a studio to promote their work.

Sometimes students come to the FRCC Art Department a little unsure of themselves and their creative goals; Brokaw’s advice to students who want to be a part of the Art Department’s creative experience but are hesitant is to just “try new things.”

“You need to be scared a little bit everyday … That’s how you find what your strengths are – what you can and cannot do … Take those risks. Try something new,” Brokaw said.

Photo by Rachel Bruner

Dear Reader,This piece was incredibly hard to

write. In fact, I had to follow some of my own advice and bring other people into the process in order to finally finish!

When I began this piece, I had a million ideas and zero direction. So, I sat down with my wife (Chelsea, who is also a faculty member here at FRCC) and asked her what advice she’d give FRCC students. Our conversation quickly turned to us giving advice to our younger college student selves. I envision sitting down with my undergraduate self: 90’s bowl haircut parted down the middle, Doc Martens, cargo pants…ouch. The vision is not good for my pride, but I stick with it. Staring my younger self in the face, I think through what I would want to tell myself. My answer is quick and scary: “Everything.” I’d want to tell myself everything.

So, after much dialogue with my lovely partner and some individual thought and consideration, I’ve attempted a short version of “everything.” Below, I’ve encapsulated in 10 points what I’d tell myself if I were a college student. I’ve based some of the points on quotations from thinkers or writers that I respect and enjoy. Some of these are stolen directly from my brilliant spouse. Others are just thoughts that will hopefully bring you at least one step closer to obtaining a truly valuable education and living a good life. Enjoy!

“College has value, no matter how miserable your (insert required class outside of major here) makes you.”

Ponder this question: “If I can’t think of a reason for something, does that mean there isn’t one?” Hint: The answer is NO! Many people assume that because they can’t think of a reason for something, then that must mean there’s no reason. The same applies with value. Just because you can’t see value in something doesn’t mean it has no value. So, I know you’ve probably taken a class because you were required to – and in the midst of knocking out basic courses, it’s easy to not see the value. That doesn’t mean it’s not there. Be open to the possibility that you can learn from classes outside of your major, and allow yourself to be enriched in the process.

“Learn to recognize patterns and take responsibility for their recurrence.”

I’ve been watching the COSMOS series on Netflix over the last few weeks. I just watched an episode where Neil deGrasse Tyson explained the amazing human capacity for pattern recognition. This skill is responsible for having helped humanity survive and flourish like it has. We’re able to look up at the stars and know when the season is about to end; we’re able to watch and take note of which berries to eat and which ones will poison us; and many other amazing things. In my experience, it’s harder to see patterns in our own selves, choices, and lives. Use your time in college to begin to recognize patterns in yourself educationally, relationally, and professionally. Make a decisive choice to get your head on straight! Deal with your demons. Start paying attention to the situations you find yourself in the most often. Are these recurring situations healthy, productive spaces? Or are they negative, dangerous, or destructive? The problem with patterns is they repeat themselves unless you recognize them and start to make better choices. Do all of your romantic relationships end in fiery interpersonal carnage? Have you started and quit 5-6 different jobs over the past year or two? Do you find yourself needing more time, pulling all-nighters, or asking for extensions every semester? The hard truth is something you must consider: the problem may not be solely your romantic partner, boss, or professor. If you can’t see any patterns – ask people close to you. They can see them. I promise.

“Form relationships while you’re here, and invite select others into your process.”

Fight the temptation to show up, attend class, and go home. I know you have a million things going on in your life, but the people you’re around here at FRCC are fantastic. First, meet and get to know your professors; stop by their office during office hours for a chat now and then. You’ll be amazed at the depth of their experience and wisdom. Next, get to know the people

Just A Thought...Written by FRCC Instructor Brandon Stow

Continued on Page 6

The Front Page Page 6 September 23, 2014

Just A Thought..., cont. Written by FRCC Instructor Brandon Stow

in your classes; some of these people will make you laugh till you cry. Some will make that difficult/boring class tolerable (or even fun). Be happy at the end of the semester when you find yourself saying, “Wow, I would never have made it through without _____.” The simple truth is you cannot make it through college all by yourself. Inviting others into your process is not a sign of failure! It will actually enrich the process. Give it a try!

“Failure isn’t just part of the process; it’s much of the process. The rest of life is just learning how to grow from it.” – Bob Goff

This is the age old point of: make mistakes and learn from them. This is good advice. You will make mistakes, you will fail from time to time. This is normal. In fact, it’s possible that you may even fail to become the future version of yourself you picture in your mind while you’re in school. This is okay, too. The question becomes: Why did I fail? What caused it, and how can I do better next time? Is this actually a failure, or just an unforeseen turn in the road? Listen to Conan O’Brien’s words to the Dartmouth University graduating class of 2011 and take them to heart: “It is our failure to become our perceived ideal that ultimately defines us and makes us unique. It’s not easy, but if you accept your misfortune and handle it right, your perceived failure can become a catalyst for profound re-invention.”

“Learn to make good relational choices, and especially learn from the times you don’t.”

Whether we like it or not, the quality of our lives tends to center around the quality of our interpersonal relationships. This applies largely to our significant romantic relationships. Think about it: things can go poorly at work or at school, but if things are okay at home your life overall doesn’t crumble. But if things start to fall apart romantically, it impacts your work, school, living situation, finances, overall sense of peace, and sometimes even your health. If you’ve ever gone through a long breakup in the middle of a semester, you know what I’m talking about. This applies to both ends of the relational spectrum: Make the positive ones work and get out of the negative ones as soon as possible. If you’re

single, great! Pick good, healthy, supportive friends and select your potential romantic partners carefully.

“Learn when to fight or hold on, and learn when to let go.”

The sad news here is you’ll probably only learn this lesson by holding on for too long, or letting go too soon. But it is an important lesson: There are things worth fighting for, and figuring out what those things are is an important part of your college experience. However, it’s just as important (and often harder) to learn when to let go. This doesn’t mean you’ll want to fight when it’s time to fight, or that you’ll feel free and easy after letting go, but working to gain clarity in this area will make a huge difference in the quality of your life and education.

“Some things will take longer than you ever thought possible, and other things will just fall into place.”

Nine times out of ten, you don’t get to choose which it will be. What you do get to choose is how you respond to things not going the way you thought they would. Choose to respond wisely!

“Action always beats intention” – Jon Acuff

Intent is great: In fact, I hope you have good intentions. But when we get down to it, action beats intention. Every. Single. Time. If you’re having trouble turning your intent into action, talk to someone who’s close enough to you to tell you the truth. Set some goals and have them hold you accountable. Remove the things from your life that keep you from following through on your intentions. John Maxwell says that the pain of discipline is temporary, but the pain of regret is long lasting. Choose discipline, and move into action on your good intentions!

“Don’t compare yourself with others, unless it’s actually for your own growth.”

To grow, we have to compare ourselves with others to some extent. But choose your points of comparison carefully and check your motivation: It’s easy to fall into the trap of comparing yourself with others in order to build yourself up or tear yourself down rather than actually grow. Remember that your journey is yours, and it may not look like the journey of those around you. If you start to notice the pattern of constantly comparing

yourself with others in a bad way – get some help to break that cycle!

“Above all, don’t lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to such a pass that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others.” - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Dostoyevsky is one of my favorite writers. This line from The Brothers Karamazov has recently been a big part of my own journey in learning to let go. Over the past 8 years, I have been fighting for something I thought I wanted… something I told myself over and over again I absolutely had to achieve. The truth is that I was lying to myself, refusing to open my eyes to the reality in front of me. In being honest with myself, I was finally able to let go, move on, and enjoy life rather than spend my spare moments at war with myself.

So, my final piece of advice to you is to ask yourself the question: Have I

been lying to myself about anything? That this relationship will get better? That I’m just not smart enough? That I have to have this one thing, or that one person? It’s not my fault, it’s their fault?

Starting today, I encourage you to embark on an inner journey that isn’t only about learning material in school but about participating in honest self-reflexivity so that when you graduate, transfer, or move on in any other way, you do so a more educated, self-aware, healthy, positive version of yourself. Otherwise, you’re nothing more than a knowledge repository. It doesn’t matter if you’re 16 or 60: To choose to live an unexamined life is to short-change yourself regarding the possibilities higher education can give you. Good luck on your journey!

Interested in journalism and newspaper writing? Attend our free workshops taught by FRCC Journalism Instructor Nick Morris and sponsored by The Front Page Newspaper. Workshops are open to all FRCC students. Workshops are from 2:00-3:00pm in room C0204.

Workshops Dates:September 26

October 10October 24

November 14November 21

The Front Page Page 7September 23, 2014

Asia – Over 300 people have died in India and Pakistan after the two nations suffered from the worst flooding in the past two decades.

Africa – Sierra Leone goes into lockdown as the Ebola Virus takes more than 2,100 lives across four countries on the continent.

Europe – Since April, a projected 2,600 people have died amidst the unresolved Ukrainian-Russian tension.

Middle East – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas cautions Hamas to discontinue its current demeanor as more than 2,100 people have died in Gaza.

United States – A 19 year old woman named Cherries Waffles Tennis was arrested for counterfeit purchases at a surf shop in Jupiter, Florida.

Written by Rachel Bruner

I have loved learning my entire life. It would seem odd then that I have struggled in school for nearly just as long. Learning and education are not the same thing; however they are closely related.. You see, learning is the systematic process of acquiring knowledge or skill, according to Merriam-Websters. Education, on the other hand, connotes more of a possessive element. You would speak of achieving an education more as something outside of yourself that is to be obtained. You could speak of being educated, but that still implies an end; learning as a means to become educated. The broad distinction between the two is that learning is a process, and education is an outcome. The semantics and philosophical debate aside for the moment, the difference between the two approaches is critical to understanding performance and achievement both in the classroom, and within virtually every skill related endeavor. That covers just about

everything we ever do over the course of our lives.

Carol Dweck, a professor of Psychology at Stanford University, in 2006 published a book called Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Dweck’s work would propose a psychological theory of achievement corresponding to the process versus outcome distinction, though she would use the terms growth versus fixed, respectively. In a nutshell, Dweck suggests, a growth mindset is holding the belief that one’s ability and skill are directly related to the amount of time spent developing those attributes. Performance, and thus achievement, are based upon hard work and persistence. A fixed mindset, however, believes that we are simply born with a certain level of skill and ability and it can never be improved upon, regardless of the amount of time devoted to study or practice.

Now, that’s all well and good when we are faced with a task

Have You Grown? How a Shift in Perspective Can Lead to Higher Grades Written by Koa Avery

Upcoming EventsWritten by Koa Avery

Thursday, September 25th -

Fall Transfer Fair - Considering

transferring to a four year school

after Front Range? Come to the

Cafeteria Rotunda from 11 a.m. - 1

p.m. to meet with representatives

from both local and national colleges

and universities.

Saturday, September 27th -

Westminster Farmers Market - Stop

by the final Westminster Farmers

Market of the season. Located at

88th & Sheridan, east of JCPenny,

from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., multiple local

farms will provide a variety of

organic and locally grown produce,

meats, poultry and more. Local

food artisans will have bread, honey,

nuts and jams in addition to area

food trucks and restaurants having

breakfast, lunch and dinner available.

Wednesday, October 1st - Hispanic

History Program

Thursday, October 9th & 10th -

LGBT Coming Out Programs

Monday, October 13th -16th -

Midterm Morale Boosters

Every Friday now until November

4th - the Westminster Swim &

Fitness Center will be hosting Family

Fun Nights from 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

Families can enjoy a children’s

movie, popcorn, game room and pool

games at discounted rate for up to

two adults and three children. For

more information see the schedule

at: http://www.ci.westminster.co.us/

Portals/0/Repository/Documents/

ParksRec/Activity%20Guides/Fall/

FFN%20Fall%202014.pdf

Friday-Monday, October 3rd-6th

- Free4Fall, Westminster Parks &

Recreation - Westminster Parks &

Recreation will be hosting a weekend

of free activities and demos at its

facility. Sample many of the popular

instructional classes and fitness

facilities, at no charge, in addition

to yoga, Zumba or Booiaka classes,

spin classes or swim a few laps in the

pool. Additionally, an open house

of the facility, giveaways, chair

massages and fitness demos will be

available. For more information

check the site at: http://www.

ci.westminster.co.us/ParksRec/

SpecialEvents.aspx

that is well within our capabilities. Succeeding at such a task, a growth mindset individual would acknowledge the requisite time spent preparing as their reasons for a good grade, or a good score, whereas a fixed mindset individual would simply give a nod to their genetically determined skills and move on. But what if faced with a task that is near the upper limit of one’s capability? As we approach the limits on our capabilities, or in terms of schooling, when we’re learning something new, mistakes are going to happen. A growth mindset, when facing such a situation, would view mistakes as the need for more time spent practicing and/or training. A mistake is nothing more than an opportunity for highlighting where we must devote more attention in order to be better the next time. A fixed mindset, however, would view a mistake as an affirmation that the task ahead of them is simply beyond the capacity of their skill. As such, a fixed mindset individual is significantly more likely to give up on a task, rather than persist, continuing to believe their performance will never improve beyond a certain level.

Which mindset would you prefer to hold? Which would you prefer your friends, family, fellow

students, and coworkers to hold? And for those of you out there, which mindset would you prefer your children to hold? As mindset is something changeable, whereas our height is unlikely to increase beyond our genetic limit despite our best efforts, choosing between the two mindsets is completely within our control.

How then does all of that theory apply to schooling? Clearly the growth mindset is preferable for providing us with the motivation to get through class sessions and homework for 15 weeks.

Every day we attend class is an opportunity for us to expand our skill,

and every question asked a broadening of our knowledge.

Simple enough process, but one that is more difficult to pursue. In contrast to more “traditional” colleges and universities, here at Front Range so many of us have responsibilities outside of academics that demand our attention. Taking the time to embrace a growth mindset can easily be just one more thing clamoring for the already limited amount of energy we can muster at any particular time. The best way is take small steps. What’s one new word I learned in class today? One concept? One procedure?

Good luck with your growth!

Th e Front Page Page 8 September 23, 2014

Th e entire content of Th e Front Page is Copyrighted by the FRCC Board of Publications. No part of the publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Th e staff of Th e Front Page is encouraged to subscribe to the principles of the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics. Inquiries may be referred to the Offi ce of Human Resources, 3645 W. 112th Avenue, Westminster CO 80031-2199, (303-466-8811); Th e Director of Affi rmative Action for the Colorado College System, 9101 E. Lowry Blvd., Denver CO 80230-6011; or to the Offi ce for Civil Rights, U.S. Dept. of Education, 1961 Stout St., Denver CO 80204

Th e entire content of Th e Front Page is Copyrighted by the

303-404-5534 | [email protected]

AdvisorsTino Gomez Julie Beggs

Managing EditorKathy Bellis

Copy EditorRobin OConnell

Assistant EditorKoa Avery

Staff ReporterRachel Bruner

Workshop AdvisorNick Morris

Celebrating Cultures: National Hispanic Heri-tage Month at FRCC WestminsterWritten by Rachel Bruner

Hispanic Heritage Month is nationally recognized from September 15th to October 15th each year in the United States; those who participate in the celebration include some of Front Range Community College, Westminster Campus’s students (such as Lilian Ramirez Fernandez) and faculty members (such as Tino Gomez).

When asked what her Hispanic heritage meant to her, FRCC student Lilian Ramirez Fernandez, a business major, said, “It means that I come from a country with strong roots and an amazing culture with fantastic food and music. The people are awesome and everyone is so proud to fl aunt their nationality! I just love it! Plus I like spicy food.” FRCC Westminster Campus’s English and Communication Chair Tino Gomez said, “When it comes to my culture I embrace its signifi cance, I am proud of its origins, and I celebrate its unique traditions – especially the amazing food!”

According to HispanicHeritageMonth.org, the commemoration – honored by Mexico, Canada, and the United States – was introduced to the United States by President Lyndon B. Johnson as National Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968. In August of 1988, President Ronald Reagan promoted the recognized week by expanding it to a month long tribute – National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Hispanic Americans include those whose ancestors originated from the countries in Central America, Latin America, and the Caribbean – as well

as Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Spain – and those whose ancestors originated from Africa and were brought to the New World. Many Hispanic Americans also acknowledge their heritage through ancient, Pre-Columbian civilizations such as the Aztecs in Mexico, the Maya in Central America, or the Arawaks in Puerto Rico.

Hispanic Heritage Month, according to HispanicHeritageMonth.gov, was chosen from the middle of September through the middle of October because many of the nations in these areas celebrate their independence during this time period – September 15th is the day of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, September 16th is Mexico’s day of independence, and September 18th is Chile’s day of independence – and because October 12th is Columbus Day.

Ramirez Fernandez explained that the reason she celebrates is because she and her family are from Zacatecas, Mexico, and thus enjoy annually honoring Mexico’s Independence Day: “Usually, around mid-September we have a huge party at our house, bringing together all the Mexican foods such as tacos, tamales, [and] posole … along with music and just great family fun. There’s a lot of dancing, singing and gossiping, of course,” Ramirez Fernandez said.

Gomez explained that his ancestors come from Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico, and that he as well celebrates with his family on the eve of Mexican Independence Day – September

15th – in a small town in Arizona by the name of Superior: “During those celebrations the entire town would join together to participate in the parade down Main Street that always included priests carrying religious statues, mariachis playing and singing their hearts out, members of the VFW [Veterans of Foreign Wars] and Knights of Columbus proudly waving their banners and fl ags, and classic cars with incredible paint jobs. We would cheer, dance, sing, and enjoy all of the food made by all of the families in town,” Gomez said. “It was often a magical time for me as a child because I was witness to my entire family from my grandmother and grandfather, my great uncles and aunts, to my parents, to their sisters and brothers, my aunts and uncles, all the way down to my youngest cousins participating in the festivities as either marshals, mariachis, or proud veterans marching in the parade as well as cooks who helped

serve hundreds at the food tables.”For those interested in learning

more about Hispanic Heritage Month, FRCC Westminster Campus’s Student Life will be holding a Hispanic History Program on October 1st – contact or stop by Student Life for more information on how to take part.

Other local events pertaining to Hispanic Heritage include:

Museo De Las Americas – a museum that features pre-Columbian to modern Latin American artwork. Visit museo.org for more information.

The Denver Art Museum – an art museum that features Pre-Columbian as well as Spanish Colonial art. Visit denverartmuseum.org for more information.

La Rumba – a dance club featuring salsa music, salsa dancing, and dance instructors to teach you how to get in the rhythm. Visit larumba-denver.com for more information.

Photo by Rachel Bruner