Spectator Issue 2 -- Oct. 2, 2012

ENTERTAINMENT: Beats headphones, ripped jeans among latest fashion at WNCC, pg. 4

SPORTS: Broussard among long list of local athletes excelling at WNCC, pg. 5

BACKPAGE: Students talk about college life, pg. 8

S SPECTATORThe

BY JOY ANITEYESpectator Reporter

Malorie Winberg has some advice for people thinking about entering a career in

music.“Make sure that you don’t take

it lightly,” she said. “If it’s not your passion, don’t turn your hobby into something that you loath.”

For Winberg, a WNCC student, nothing interests her more than being involved in music, whether it’s singing or playing in the band. And she’s pretty

Winberg: Savoring the sounds of music

See Malorie, page 3

us on Facebook

Hard work, dedication help student blossom intoa standout in WNCC’s vocal music program

Brandi Mendoza talks on the phone during a scene in the WNCC play “Nickel and Dimed.” Th e play will be presented Oct. 12, 13 and 14.

Oct. 2, 2012 Volume 59, Issue 2

Photo iby Abner Pizana/Spectator

A Life Filled with Music

See Stinner, page 2

WNCC Th eater presents ‘Nickel

and Dimed’ Th e play, which begins this week, expects to be a hit

 BY ALEXANDRIA MOREESpectator Reporter

For the past several years, the Western Nebraska Community College Th eater Department has worked tirelessly to bring our com-munity a variety of both comedic and dramatic plays that broaden our horizons on global, historical, and economic issues and events.

L a s t year Pat En-nis and a crew of roughly a dozen people fl awlessly de-livered the heart-wrench-ing stage adaption of “Th e Diary of Anne Frank.” With 14 cast members, this

year’s production of “Nickel and Dimed” promises to continue the department’s record of excellence. Ennis, a theater veteran, teaches and heads the ever growing theater department at WNCC. She’s chosen a play that’s a bit lighter yet still car-ries a powerful message. “It’s a play with a serious mes-sage, but it is a comedy; we don’t want people to be scared thinking it’s a downer,” Ennis said of the 2002 stage adaptation by Joan Holden. Originally a novel by Barbra Eh-renreich, the book’s full title, ‘Nickel and Dimed; On (Not) Getting by in

See Play, page 2

Play Dates

Oct. 12 and 13 at 7 p.m.;

Oct. 14 at 2 p.m.

Malorie Winberg is a a talented singer and musician at Western Nebraska Community College. In this photo, Winberg fi lls in for vocal music instructor Rita Stinner as Winberg conducts the choir during the national anthem of a volleyball game.

BY ABNER PIZANOSpectator Reporter

For Rita Stinner, the music pro-gram director at WNCC, music is part of her everyday life. She has learned to appreciate music and is quite passionate about it, too. Stinner, who is from Mis-souri Valley, Iowa, is a University of Nebraska at Lincoln graduate. She’s been at WNCC for 16 years, teaching applied voice Collegiate Choral, Varsities Vocalize, Quin-tessence, an all-women’s group, and “Just Bluffi n,” an all-men’s group. Q: Why did you decide to teach music? A: Music is a universal language. Every society in the world has music, so whether we are at peace or at war, or whether we are from Asia, South America, North America, or Europe, we all share music. Music is some-thing that takes us to a diff erent level emotionally. It speaks to

our senses and to our feelings, and it is a universal way of shar-ing something that is more im-portant than making a living or having a job. It is something that takes us to a higher level of un-derstanding.  Q: What is the best part about your job?A: My students. My students are some of the fi nest individu-als I have ever met, and we share something amazing together. Q: Why do you think your stu-dents have so much love and af-fection for you?A: I think they understand that my entire day is dedicated to them, and they know that when I’m in school or when I’m out of school I’m always thinking of ways of making their jour-ney here at WNCC more mean-ingful. They know that most of what I do is dedicated to them, so they just appreciate that and

For WNCC instructor Rita Stinner,music plays a key role not onlyin her career but also in her life

Rita Stinner says music is a part of her everyday life. Stinner is the director of the vocal music department at WNCC.

Spectator Photo

COVER STORY

Photo by Abner Pizano/Spectator

BY JOY ANITEYESpectator Reporter

When Chan Stone was trying to decide which college to attend, she wanted to fi nd a place where she felt comfortable and where she would be surrounded by students and instructors who would help her meet her educational goals. And, of course, she also needed to pick a place that she could aff ord. Aft er visiting her friends in western Nebraska for a couple weeks, Stone real-

ized she had found the perfect place to go to school – Western Nebraska Community College. Stone, who moved to Nebraska from Georgia, said she not only likes the cost of living in the community and the reasonable prices for her college education but also ap-preciates how hard her instructors work to support their students’ educational goals. She said the strong encouragement she receives from WNCC’s faculty means a lot to her, especially since her family lives so far away.

“Instructors go out of their way to help students with their goals in all subjects, even the ones that they don’t teach them-selves,” Chan said. Chan’s story is echoed across campus. Of course, receiving strong support from the staff and student body is just one of the many reasons students chose WNCC. Jessica Lore graduated from Minatare High School and decided to pursue her nurs-ing career at WNCC, before transferring to the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Why choose WNCC? Students say there are many reasons

See WNCC, page 8

Spectator Photo

thetheSpectatorpectatorWestern NebraskaWestern Nebraska

Community CollegeCommunity College

Letter to the Editor PolicyLetter to the Editor Policy

thethespectator encourages reader input spectator encourages reader input about the articles it publishes. Any about the articles it publishes. Any

reader may submit a letter to the editor. reader may submit a letter to the editor. All letters to the editor submissions All letters to the editor submissions must include the author’s name and must include the author’s name and

hometown. Phone numbers must also hometown. Phone numbers must also be included for verifi cation purposes. be included for verifi cation purposes.

Letters and columns may be edited for Letters and columns may be edited for space limitations, style, grammar and li-space limitations, style, grammar and li-belous content. Th e letters must contain belous content. Th e letters must contain around 50 words and be typed. Letters around 50 words and be typed. Letters

can be sent or e-mailed tocan be sent or e-mailed [email protected]@wncc.net.

Th e opinions in Th e opinions in thethespectator are those spectator are those of the newspaper staff and do not refl ect of the newspaper staff and do not refl ect the opinion or scrutiny of WNCC, the the opinion or scrutiny of WNCC, the

administration, board of governors, administration, board of governors, staff or student government. Unsigned staff or student government. Unsigned

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Contact the newspaper at:Contact the newspaper at:Th e SpectatorTh e Spectator

WNCCWNCC1601 E. 27th street1601 E. 27th street

Scottsbluff , Nebraska 69361Scottsbluff , Nebraska 69361Phone: (308) 635-6058Phone: (308) 635-6058

Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Top

TopCAT

Students

Age: 26

Major: Busi-ness administra-tion

H o n o r s /awards/activities involved: RA, Fall Frolic volun-teer

Favorite band/singer: Wisin y Yandel, David Guetta, Pitbull, and Marc Anthony

Favorite TV show: Th e Big Bang Th eory

Favorite book: Th e Alchemist

Who is your role model?: My fa-ther because he has been successful in life

If you had one thing to share with everyone, what would it be? Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do it.

If you could have three wish-es granted, what would they be?Health, happiness, and never lose my personality

What songs are included on the soundtrack of your life? “Tu amor me hace bien,” by Marc Anthony.

— By Abner Pizano

Age: 20

Major: For-eign language

Honors/awards/activi-ties involved: Kids Club leader at the Carpenter Center, RA

Favorite band/singer: Jenny and Tyler

Favorite movie: “Emperor’s New Groove” and “Sleeping Beauty”

Favorite quotes: “Th erefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to off er your bodies as a living sacrifi ce, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Romans 12:1

Favorite TV show: Th e Offi ce

Favorite book: Th e Bible, and Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller.

Who is your role model? My mom because no matter how hard things get she always trusts in God.

What’s the craziest or hardest thing you’ve ever done? Going over-seas on mission trips to China and Taiwan.

If you could have three wishes granted, what would they be? Toms, good music and coff ee shops

— By Abner Pizano

Continued from page 1

Play

2012-13 Staff Members2012-13 Staff Members

Katie Peterson, ReporterKatie Peterson, ReporterAlexandria Moree, ReporterAlexandria Moree, Reporter

Abner P.izano, ReporterAbner P.izano, ReporterHeidi Hancock, ReporterHeidi Hancock, ReporterDanielle Hearn, ReporterDanielle Hearn, Reporter

Johnny Escamilla, ReporterJohnny Escamilla, ReporterJoy Aniteye, ReporterJoy Aniteye, ReporterJohn Bahr, ReporterJohn Bahr, ReporterKayla Romey, LayoutKayla Romey, Layout

Mark Rein, ProductionMark Rein, Production

Jeff Fielder, AdvisorJeff Fielder, Advisor

Oct. 2, 2012 — Page 2NNewsews

WNCC vocal music instructor Rita Stinner stands in front of one of the vocal music groups at WNCC.

Photo by Abner Pizano/Spectator

Andres GomezCaracas, Venezuela

Myndi DoremusGering

Q: What is the most played song on your ipod?A: Well, I don’t ever play my iPod. My iPod is the music that I hear in my classes every day. My life is so full with that music that when I leave school, I don’t listen to music. Th e students that I teach are the singers that I want to listen to.

Q: Do you have any role models?A: My role model is my mother, who last year died on her 99th birthday. She was one of the fi nest women I have ever known.

Q: If you could witness an event from the past, present, or future, what would it be?A: Th ere was a group of women who were at a Sumatran prison camp during World War II, and they nearly died. Th ey sang or-chestral music while they were there to raise their spirits, and they actually ended up en-tertaining their guards. Th ey were called the Malle Babbe Woman’s choir, and I would like to have seen them perform.

Q: If you could meet anyone who is either liv-ing or dead, whom would you meet and why?A: I would like to have known Willa Cather. She was an author of amazing books about a woman’s role and life on the prairie.

Q: What did you do growing up that got you into trouble?A: I drove too fast.

Q: What story does your family always tell about you?A: Well, I’m loud -- I do everything loud — so on Saturday mornings my daughter would yell at me and say, “Mom, you are walking too loud. I can’t sleep!” I talk loud, and I’m just a noisy person, so everyone teases me about that.

Q: Is there any particularly funny, sad, or instructive lesson that you learned while growing up?

A: I learned that discrimination of any kind is a terrible, evil thing. We should accept one another regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual preference, and there is good in ev-eryone, and we should celebrate uniqueness. 

Q: What is the weirdest or hardest thing you’ve ever done?A: About four years ago, I was hired to per-form in a play in Lincoln for the Nebraska Repertory Th eater. I played a tone-deaf op-era star, and in it I was the entire show, so my character was on stage the entire show. Th e amount of lines I had to memorize was a lot; I had 13 costume changes; I had many songs I had to sing. It was one of the best experiences of my life, but it also was one of the hardest.  

Q: If everyone in the world were listening, what would you say?A: I would say be kind to one another and respect one another’s diff erences.

Q: What is your biggest fear?A: I’m not a fearful person, so I don’t have a lot of fears, but I guess one of them is that I will miss this too much when I retire.

Q: What is the last experience that made you a stronger person?A: Th e death of my mother. I miss her.

Q: Who is the one person who helped make you who you are today?A: Professionally, probably my voice teacher in college — his name is Dale Jamz — and my cooperating teacher when I was student teaching — his name is John Peterson. Th ey were an infl uence in my life. Also, my par-ents, of course, and my husband is a very strong infl uence in my life.

Q: If the average human life span were 40 years, how would you live your life diff erently? A: I have had an extremely happy life, and I have done many of the things that I wanted to do in life. I may travel earlier in life, but I had an extremely happy and fulfi lling life.

Stinner

America,’ is the true story of an American writer who put aside her pen and paper and ventured deep undercover, working in min-imum wage jobs. As a journalist with a Ph. D. i n cell biology, Ehrenreich highlights the moun-tain of issues in which low income fami-lies face. Berated with unsavory manage-ment, dangerous working conditions, and constant degradation, she ended her two-year undercover research project wide-eyed and determined to share her find-ings. Share it she did, with a New York Times’

best seller. Ehrenreich’s book fl ew off the shelves and shed light to thousands of Americans the hardships facing low income people. Lisa Betz, the owner and operator of the Gering Citizen newspaper, has under-taken the task of portraying Ehrenreich in WNCC’s upcoming presentation. More than just an avid theater attendee, Betz also shows her support for the arts by judging for local high school speech meets. Evenly split with half community members and half college students, the cast also con-sists of several returning faces. Doug Harris and Brandy Mendoza both appeared on stage last year in “Th e Diary of Anne Frank.”

Mendoza, a 15-year-old up and coming name in local theater, proudly states that this will be her fi ft h time working with En-nis and is excited to add this play to her ever growing resume. Byron Allen, a well known name to

any theater patron in the valley, has held the title of assistant director for the last several seasons and continues this year as an irreplaceable right hand man to Ennis. Premiering Friday, Oct. 12, and Satur-day, Oct. 13, at 7:30 p.m., as well as Sunday, Oct. 14, at 2 p.m.  Admission is free to students and fac-ulty and $5 for the general public.

‘Th e Ingram Farm Show: Arlo & the School Bus Bully, Lessons of Love, and the Th ree Headed

Dog’ to open with a galleryreception this Friday

 BY ALEXANDRIA MOREESpectator Reporter

Every month the West Nebraska Arts Center fi lls its walls with paintings, draw-ings, and sculptures by both locally and in-ternationally acclaimed artists.  Founded in 1967, the gallery at WNAC has acted as an artistic doorway for the Valley. Located at 106 East 18th Street in Scottsbluff , the WNAC is open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on weekends from 1-5 p.m. Th ere is no charge to enter the single room gallery. Likewise, all gallery receptions hosted for the opening of any new show are also free of charge. “Educational interaction is at the heart of our mission at WNAC,” said Mason Burbach, executive director of the gallery. Names like Picasso, Dali, Matisse, and Warhol have all hung on the walls at the WNAC, contribut-ing to the aforementioned educational mis-sion that the center strives to deliver. In addition to monthly shows, Burbach said that “the WNAC provides annual op-portunities for local artists to show and sell their work with the Visionaries Student Art Exhibit, the North Platte Valley Artist Guild Show & Sale, the IMAGE Photography Ex-hibit, the WNAC President’s Show, and the annual Juried Exhibit.” Always putting community fi rst, the WNAC works with the art department at WNCC, including student artwork, in a variety of shows throughout the year. Also dedicated to the promotion of theatrical art, the WNAC presents children’s theater and special events in conjunction with the Mid-west Th eatre, located on Broadway Avenue in downtown Scottsbluff , on a regular basis. A new batch of artwork will be gracing the walls of the gallery Oct. 5 and will run until October 27. “Th e Ingram Farm Show: Arlo & the School Bus Bully, Lessons of Love, and the Th ree Headed Dog” will open with a gal-lery reception this Friday, Oct. 5, from 5-7 p.m. Th is is a family based show featur-ing original pieces by Charlotte Ingram of Scottsbluff and her siblings Carolyn Ingram Staples, Cheryl Ingram, Jan Ingram, and Nurmi Ingram. Th ese fi ve siblings learned to sing, play instruments, dance, write, and draw from their parents. Th is will be the fourth family exhibit at WNAC by the Ingram family.

New artworkto be on display

at local arts center

Continued from page 1

You

rY

ou

r

Voice1 Question!

Many answers!

“I went to movie night; it was a fun experience to hang with my friends and see a movie off the infl atable

screen.” — Jen Cottle

Lehi, Utah

“Yes, the movie on the lawn, the scavenger hunt, the Fall Frolic, and sand volleyball. I thought they were all a bunch of fun, and I hope more people get involved next year.”

— Shawn GasselingAlliance

“I attended the dance. I had tons of fun.”

— Jaylynn Young,Bayard

“Vol-leyball game and the movie night. I thought it was a good idea, but I wish more people would

have shown up to the events.”

—Haley Paxton,Greeley, Colo.

“I attended the dance, and it was a blast.”

—ZayPatterson,Bridgeport

“Yes, I enjoyed the volleyball tournament and Sultry Sounds.”

— Nick Chizeh,

Bridgeport

Did you attend any Homecoming events? What did

you think?

Continued from page 1

Oct. 2, 2012 — Page 3NNewsews

Malorie

— compiled by Danielle Hearn

good at it, too. Winberg, of Fort Morgan, Colo., earned two scholarships from WNCC – one for vocal music and another one for band. She’s now in her third year of col-lege and has become an extraor-dinary member of WNCC’s music department. “She is a vital part of our music program and the fi nest example of what a music student should be,” said Rita Stinner, director of WNCC’s music pro-gram. Winberg, who is majoring in vocal music education, has decided to stay another year at WNCC in order to earn a degree before transferring to another school. “My biggest goal for the fu-ture,” she said, “is to successfully get a degree in music therapy.”Winberg said she wants a career that she is passionate about, not just a job. Someday she hopes to combine her love of music with working with children. What-ever career path she goes down, though, it surely will involve music. “Music takes up most of my life,” she said. Th e co-president of WNCC’s vocal music program, Winberg helps beginning music classes with vocal warm-ups. She also sings in the show choir “Varsity Vocalise” and in “Collegiate Cho-rale.” She takes voice and piano lessons and practices for both each day. In addition to her busy music schedule, she is a Resident Assist-ant at WNCC. Her self-discipline and daily planning allow her to balance homework and choir with having a personal life. She never strays too far away from music, though. “When I’m not doing choir things or residence life things, I’m still doing choir and residence life for my own enjoyment,” she said. Her favorite class, she said, is choir. “I love Collegiate Chorale and Varsity Vocalise. I love being able to sing not just popular music. Classical music makes me happy.” Winberg said she listens to a variety of music. Among her favorite musicians is composer and pianist Frederic Chopin. She also likes to listen to folk music and greatly enjoys country music by Miranda Lambert and rap by Macklemore. When she’s not listening to music or improving her own musical skills, she likes to watch the Food Network. She also en-joys reading – with music in the background, of course.

Because music has always been such a big part of her life, she often is asked by friends and family to sing. During some holidays such as Christmas, Winberg enjoys singing songs accompanied by her mother on the piano. It’s like they have a family band, as her brother also gets into the musical act, playing the trumpet. Winberg said she’s enjoyed

her time at WNCC so far. Being part of the vocal music depart-ment allows her to participate in fall and spring music tours, and she’s involved in several local performances as well. Her fresh-man year, she got a thrill out of being able to sing at the gover-nor’s inauguration in Omaha with the choir. She has also sung at a Colorado Rockies game. One of the top highlights of her musical

career, she said, was performing at Carnegie Hall in New York City last summer . While Winberg has blos-somed into a very talented musician, she pointed out that it’s taken a lot of hard work and time to get to where she’s at. “It’s not for the faint of heart,” she said. “It is very hard work.”But she couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

A new look: Fall fashion redefi nedBY ALEXANDRIA MOREESpectator Reporter

Coco Chanel once said, “The best color in the whole world is the one that looks good, on you!” It has never been easier to follow the legendary Chanel’s advice than with this fall’s cur-rent trends. Highlighter yellow to oxblood red to olive green, prints inspired from 1960 ori-ent to Warhol inspired neon swirls, this fall’s gamut of color is endless. February marked the un-veiling of this year’s fall/winter collections by top designers. The true-to-season staple piec-es were presents on the runway, including jewel tone silk blous-es, fitted tuxedo blazers, and the crop jean. However, what made waves with critics and consumers was the overwhelming presence of bold colors and prints across the board. Traditionally, fall has been a season of solids, oc-casionally offering a bit of visu-al interest with a plaid or bold stripe. This year, however, store windows on Seventh Avenue in New York City are flooded with every print and color under

the sun. Most notable pieces, speaking strictly to structure, include skirts and dresses. Tak-ing into account that fall and winter are the coolest times of the year, the vast number of miniskirts and well above the knee dresses have sparked some controversy in the world of fashion critics. A brown leather miniskirt paired with jewel toned tights and nude an-kle boots as an outfit certainly doesn’t stand against the below forty degree weather that fall brings with it. On the contrary, in the last five years the sacrifices that women and men alike have made when it comes to warmth in the chilly autumn weather is astounding. Fash-ion has undeniably beaten out function. That is not to say that warmth is not an option when considering your 2012 fall wardrobe. This season’s “it” jacket has been officially pronounced af-ter a fierce press battle with the reintroduction of the pea coat, the scuba jacket that emerged victorious. Traditionally worn in black, this high-collar, zip up coat pairs with any style scarf you can tie, tuck, or loop with it.

It is the year of the pencil skirt, having been redefined, sporting ornate sequin stitch work and appearing this year in every possible pattern. Tucked in blouse, skinny belt, suit jack-et, flats, or boots, anything goes with this ultra modern spin on a classic. Leggings, having resurfaced in 2010 after almost decades of retirement following their abuse in the late ‘80s, are un-limited. Patterned, leather, and textured, these now acceptable substitutes for pants appeared in every single collection and on every single runway.  Paired with flats, boots, and heels, this ultra diverse staple has been subjected to immense scrutiny by designers and critics due to its nationwide misuse. Continuing from last year’s consumer eruption, the colored skinny jeans have lingered for another season. Anything goes when choosing your colored skinny, summer and fall col-ors, and traditional denim fills shelves in every major depart-ment store across the country. So when assembling your fall attire this season, do not fear the print, embrace color and add a little verve to your style.

“I did not attend any events, but wish I would have.”

—Raquel Flores,

Aurora, Colo.

Kaylee Bentley nears the fi nish line of the WNCC Fall Frolic that was run Sept. 22. Nearly 300 run-ners and walkers took part in the race for the WNCC Foundation. Bentley fi nished fi rst in the 12-un-der division, fi nishing in 22 min-utes, 21 seconds.

Running the Fall Frolic

Spectator Photo

Upcoming EventsOctober EventsFriday, October 5 Opening Ceremony Sidney Oktoberfest, Sidney Campus WNCC play, Nickel and Dimed, 7 p.m., Th eaterSaturday, October 6 Oktoberfest Parade, Sidney Campus Famliy Fun Day, Farm and Ranch Museum, Gering WNCC play, Nickel and Dimed, 7 p.m., Th eaterFriday, October 12 PVC Monument Marathon Expo WNCC play, Nickel and Dimed, 7 p.m., Th eater 6-10 p.m. Harvest Night, Riverside ParkSaturday, October 13 PVC Monument Marathon Full and Half Marathon WNCC play, Nickel and Dimed, 7 p.m., Th eaterSunday, October 14 WNCC play, Nickel and Dimed, 2 p.m., Th eater

Friday, October 19 A Gala Evening, Gering Civic CenterSaturday, October 20 Voc-Air Flying Club Fly-In Pancake Breakfast A Gala Evening, Gering Civic CenterWednesday, October 25 7:30 p.m. “As Goes Janesville,” Midwest Th eaterFriday, October 26 11:30 am. Halloween Costume Party, Sidney CampusWednesday, October 31 Trick or Treat Street, Downtown Broadway, Scottsbluff

Let the Spectator share your upcoming events to the student body! If you have upcoming events that you would like to post in the next

Spectator issue,please contact:

Kayla Romey @ soft [email protected] leave your name, email, and event information.

CommentaryBy Joy Aniteye

1. What is the world’s most common fi rst name?

2. What has Siberia previously used as its currency? 

3. What do Eskimos use to keep food from freezing?

4. What can you put a rubber band in to make it last longer?

5. How many diff er-ent animal shapes do animal crackers come in? 

6. How many dimples are in a golf ball?

7. Who was the fi rst prime-time couple to be shown in bed on television?

8. Where is it a crime to pawn your den-tures?

9. What color is lob-ster’s blood?

10.    What was the fi rst color of Coca-Cola?

— By Katie PetersonSource: http://www.trivia-champ.com/Weird-Trivia-

Facts-II.php

Answers: 1.Muhammad; 2. Solid Blocks of Tea; 3. Refrigerator; 4. Refrigerator; 5. 18; 6. 336; 7. Th e Flinstones; 8. Las Vegas; 9. Blue; 10. Green

Oct. 2, 2012 — Page 4EEntertainmentntertainment

Lots of fashion trends can be found onWNCC’s campus

BY JOY ANITEYESpectator Reporter

Are you into Beats? Even if you don’t know what Beats are, you probably have seen them on WNCC’s campus. Beats are the popular head-phones designed by Andre Young, better known by his rapper name Dr. Dre. Th e headphones with the red “b” on them are available in several designs and colors. Th e sound quality is just one reason for the “b” headphones’ popular-ity. Th ere are several headphones with similar technology on the market. But the stylish design of the “b” headphones and the brand itself are the main reasons why Beats brought headphones back to street style and are now on our campus. Beats Electronics has released several advertisements, featuring athletes and musicians, that target young people. Numerous celebri-ties, such as rapper Lil’ Wayne, are regularly photographed wearing the headphones that sell for about $150 to $300. Remember when everyone ab-solutely had to have the white iPod earphones in high school? Th ese earphones, which at the time were mega cool in-ear headphones, have been replaced by Beats. Beats headphones, though, isn’t the only stylish new trend that can be found on college campus. Much more aff ordable – and just as much in style on campus – are ripped jeans. Worn out jeans are no lon-ger replaced by brand new jeans without any holes. In many cases,

ripped jeans are even pricier than regular jeans, especially if one buys a designer pair. Th e process of distressing jeans does take a lot of work. Th e more eff ortless the holes, fringes, and overall ragged-ness of the jeans, the better they look. Th ese jeans are simple and comfortable, yet allow for diff er-ent styles. Th e trend is popular among both college boys and girls. Cutoff shorts were popular this summer, and this trend will carry on to the next season in the form of distressed, fl ared, skinny jeans. Whether for a chic, rebellious, or sporty look, these jeans can add a personal touch to every outfi t.Another hip fashion trend is neon colored items like Nike shoes, T-shirts and the colorful wayfarer style sunglasses. Th e sunglasses with the plastic frames, which were originally produced by Ray Ban, gained popularity in the 1980s. Th ey returned this year with bright-colored frames and

diff erent patterns, such as polka dot, stripes or animal print. Th ese sunglasses, too, will probably be around for a while since they are also available with clear lenses. As far as the latest trends in clothing, comfort seems to be the key factor when WNCC students are deciding which clothes to buy. Because of busy schedules, many students pick outfi ts that are simple and casual. Graphic tees paired with jeans, sneakers and backpacks are very common. Also popular are clothing that supports the WNCC Cougars. For anyone wanting to fi nd clothing that combines comfort with school spirit, the WNCC bookstore is a great place to check out. Th e bookstore has added lady and junior sizes this year. Among the best-selling items are Hurley products and Nike ap-parel. Th e new logo on WNCC apparel, which consists of the blue and yellow “W”, is gaining popu-larity.

Get’em while they’re hot: Beats headphones, ripped

jeans, and neon colors

Th ree years ago the action-thriller “Taken” premiered in theatres, and since then it has been released on DVD and aired numerous times on TV. Liam Neeson stars as Bryan Mills, a father and retired CIA agent who travels to France to rescue his abducted 17-year-old daughter, Kim. We get to know the agent as a divorced and somewhat lonely man who wants to spend more time with his daughter. Kim lives with her mother and her mega-rich stepfather. As the viewer, you can’t avoid sympathizing with the father, who can’t keep up with the ma-terialistic lifestyle of his ex-wife and her husband. Th en we see Mills, his daugh-ter and ex-wife at lunch, and this is where the story really begins. Kim has planned a trip to Eu-rope but needs her father, who was hoping to spend some qual-ity time with his daughter, to sign a consent form. Poor guy. He is portrayed as overprotec-tive; however, he is just aware of the dangers of letting his teenage daughter travel by herself with her friend, contrary to her un-worried mother. Mills, though, gives in and signs the papers for his little girl, of course. Within a couple of minutes of Kim’s arrival in Paris, she and her friend are taken. It seems like the girls don’t understand that the rule of not getting into a car with strangers is applicable for teenag-ers (this is not exactly how they are taken, though). Mills is actually on the phone when the whole thing happens. With a few clues, he starts his manhunt and encounters an Al-banian human traffi cking gang.

He promises to do everything in his power to save his daughter. Th at’s where the action comes in – and a lot of it. Although he starts out rather tame, he turns into a one man machine that de-stroys everything and anything that gets in his way. Th ere is a lot of violence, but it’s defi nitely adrenalin pumping. Mills has a lot of skills that an ordinary father doesn’t have. He is the stereotypical superhero who knows everything and is fast, clever and strong. But remember, he was a CIA agent, so he has the skills. Neeson gives his character complete credibility. He is per-fect in this role. He is credible as the desperate father and, surpris-ingly, he is just as credible as an action fi gure. Th e story line has a few little twists that keep viewers on their toes. Th e scenes are very well-bal-anced between action and thrill-er. Mills gets away with a lot on his manhunt, but we don’t blame him. We actually want him to de-feat the bad guys and are thrilled every step of the way as he gets closer to his daughter. I certainly thought this story was closed when I saw the end-ing. However, watching the of-ficial trailer online has already convinced me that the new movie coming out will be a re-ally gripping follow- up. The bad guys are not letting Mills get away that easily and are turn-ing the tables on him. “Taken 2” premieres in theatres this Friday, Oct. 5.

Movie review:Neeson returns for exciting manhunt

Western Nebraska Communi-ty College presents the Varsity Vo-cal Showcase Friday and Saturday, October 19-20 at the Gering Civic Center. Th e evening features an au-tumn “Germans from Russia” buff et including homemade gar-lic sausage, butterball and noodle soup, rye bread, dill pickles and cheese, kartoff eln klose (potato and dumplings in cream), dine kuchen (cherry bread), and gur-kensalat (cucumber salad). Tick-ets are $22.50 for the buff et and dinner show. Doors open at 6 p.m. with a cash bar and pre-show mu-sic. Buff et and dinner show begin at 6:30 p.m. Varsity Vocalise will perform Broadway favorites, plus popular hits by Stevie  Wonder, Aretha Franklin, and from the Fox televi-sion series GLEE. All tickets are reserved and may be purchased, beginning Sep-tember 13, at the WNCC Business Offi ce or by phone at 308-635-6020.  Credit cards are accepted.   

Varsity Vocal Showcase

Th e WNCC bookstore features several diff erent types of Cougar apparel from hoodies, T-shirts, Nike brand, and hats. Cougar apparel is just one of the cool fashion trends a WNCC, along with Beats headphones and ripped jeans.

Photo by Joy Aniteye/Spectator

WNCC volleyball players Alex Rivera (left ) and Tasha Meyer have the Beats headphones before a national tournament match last year.

Spectator Photo

SportsSportsOct. 2, 2012

INSIDE:Area youth help volleyballArea youth help volleyballteam as ball girls, page 6team as ball girls, page 6

BY HEIDI HANCOCKSpectator Sports Reporter

Over the years, Western Nebraska Community College has developed a reputation for attracting top-notch student athletes from around the nation – and even around the world. WNCC, however, also has a reputation for attracting anoth-er top-fl ight group of student-athletes – ones close to home.Add Morgan Broussard to the list of local standouts now com-peting for the Cougars. Broussard, of Gering, is in her fi rst year on the No. 2-ranked WNCC volleyball team. She said she feels right at home with the Cougars. “Th e volleyball program is great,” she said. Th ough Broussard was one of the region’s top players com-ing out of Gering High School, she nearly decided not to con-tinue playing volleyball in col-lege. WNCC coach Giovana Melo, however, changed Brous-sard’s mind. “She made me realize that I would miss the sport,” said Broussard, who attended Lake Minatare and Cedar Canyon schools before entering Gering High School. “She [Melo] was the only one who kept pushing me to continue playing.” Broussard said she feels lucky to be able to continue her education – and her athletic ca-

reer – close to her hometown. Her family’s house, in fact, is only about 20 minutes away from the college. Being so close to family, she said, has made the transi-tion of going to college much

easier for her. And being a “local girl” actually makes her feel special. “It’s nice being close [to home] and being the hometown girl,” she said. Before committing to

WNCC, Broussard thought about attending the University of Wyoming. Th e opportunity to keep playing volleyball for a national powerhouse program like WNCC and the chance to stay close to home, however, were too much for Broussard to pass up. However, she still might end up at the University of Wyoming. Aft er she’s done at WNCC, she plans to fi nish her degree in secondary physical education at UW. While Broussard was well known around the area in high school because of her volleyball skills, she also enjoyed lots of success in basketball and track and fi eld. Choosing to play volleyball in college, however, wasn’t a tough decision for her. “I have been playing that [volleyball] the longest, and it’s the game I love the most,” she said. Broussard said she’s made a lot of strides with her game dur-ing the last few months. Part of the reason is that she’s had a lot of people pushing her and sup-porting her. One of the biggest infl uenc-es in her life, she said, was her cousin, Taylor “Mags” Magdale-no, who passed away this sum-mer. She considers Magdaleno her hero, saying that he’s given her the motivation to do well in everything she does.

Homegrown talentMorgan Broussard, a Gering High School graduate, playing

key role on WNCC’s No. 2-ranked volleyball team

BY DANIELLE HEARNSpectator Sports Reporter

Bernardo Urrea is a freshman on the WNCC men’s soccer team. The Cougars’ next match is Wednesday at Laramie Coun-ty Community College in Cheyenne, Wyo. Their next home contest is Oct. 5 when they host Northeastern Junior College at 3 p.m. at the Landers Soccer Complex.

Q: What position do you play? A: Striker

Q: Did you ever have an embarrassing mo-ment on the fi eld? Explain. A: Getting fi ve red cards during my whole high school season.

Q: How long have you played soccer? A: I’ve been playing soccer for about 13 years now.

Q: How’s college going? A: College has been going very well so far. I actually attended the University of Nebraska Lincoln last year. It was the only school I applied for, and I did not like it and decided to come back to Scottsbluff to go to WNCC.

Q: What’s a random fact about you? A: I absolutely hate peanut butter and ranch dressing.

Q: What infl uenced you to play soccer? A: My dad played a big part in my soccer

career. He would always take me to the lo-cal parks to play and always pushed me. Another big infl uence is Coach [Todd] Ras-nic. He has been my coach since the sixth grade, and he has always pushed me, and [he] gave me the opportunity to play on his college team this year. Q: Where are you from? A: I am from Cali, Colombia. I was born there, and then my family has lived in Mex-ico, North Dakota, Puerto Rico, Nepal, and now here in Scottsbluff. I’ve lived here for almost nine years. Q: Why did you pick WNCC? A: I went to UNL for my freshman year and didn’t like it, so I decided to come back to WNCC and play soccer because I realized I missed it too much. Q: Favorite memory on or off the fi eld? A: My favorite memory on the fi eld was scoring the game-winning goal against Lexington in the district championship my junior year in high school. Q: If you could tell people something they don’t know about you, what would it be? A: I secretly like to listen to country music full blast in my car and the shower. Q: What’s something people don’t know about your team? A: We have a pet mascot, a tarantula named Charlie.

See Soccer, page 6

Morgan Broussard sets the ball during a home match last week. Broussard is a Gering High School graduate.

Photo by Heidi Hancock/Spectator

Learning to be an athletic trainer is fun

and interestingI have always believed fully in the

phrase, “Ask and ye shall receive.” I made a choice not too long ago

to go into athletic training, and I soon began my research into the profession. Sometimes my link to the sports

world proves to be extremely helpful. Being friends with a local athletic trainer didn’t hurt, either. Talking with him gave me great insight into the fi eld and the right tools to set me out on the right path. Th ese days when I have free time, I can usually be found in the

athletic training room observing the trainer in action. I will tell you that if you stand around for more than fi ve minutes in the training room, you are bound to learn something. I have yet to see anything as severe as a broken wrist; nonetheless, I have seen a wide variety of injuries and ailments. Blisters on toes, sore hamstrings, and ankle tapes are the daily norm around the athletic training room, but I have seen a few injuries that have stood out and will most likely make my top ten list thus far. At WNCC, where there are seven sports for athletes to take part in, injuries are all over the map. In fact, I may have been late getting to my destination a time or two because of an interesting injury that I just could not pass up observing. Sometimes I think that makes me weird, but, hey, who says being weird is a bad thing? My fi rst real experience with an actual injury was with an athlete who sustained a pretty extreme concussion. Watching the recovery process and the frustration the athlete went through made me realize how dangerous sports can really be. I also saw an athlete who had a se-verely sprained ankle. I was not aware that a sprain could bruise that badly. Crutches, a boot and multiple train-ing sessions per day did not lower this athlete’s good spirits, though. Th e fi nal experience in my top-three list has to be the athlete who discovered what turf can do to skin. At fi rst glance, I would have guessed that playing baseball or soft -ball was the reason for a large, raw spot on this athlete’s leg. But aft er asking, I was corrected. At no point did this athlete complain; the athlete was deter-mined to get back on the fi eld and do it all over again. Each athlete I encounter in a small way changes me. I may not endure each of their injuries or pains, but their perseverance and attitude through the process inspire me just a little bit more. I would like to thank each of you who never thinks twice about me standing over the trainer’s shoulder, observing while he does your treatment. Every one of you play a role in what kind of athletic trainer I will be in the future.

See Heidi, page 6

HeidiHancock

IN the HUDDLE: Bernardo Urrea

Bernardo Urrea hustles aft er a ball during a scrimmage in August.

Spectator photo

Oct. 2, 2012 — Page 6SSportsports

Scoreboard

VolleyballVolleyballVolleyball Schedule@ Iowa Western Tourney8/24 Eastern ArizonaWon — 25-20, 25-11, 25-218/24 Iowa Western C.C.Lost — 14-25, 11-25, 21-258/25 Iowa Lakes C.C.Won — 25-15, 25-15, 27-258/25 Jefferson CollegeWon — 25-15, 25-10, 25-228/28 @ Casper CollegeWon —25-16, 25-23, 23-25, 25-12@ Salt Lake C.C. Tourney8/31 Southern IdahoWon — 25-18, 25-21, 20-25, 25-228/31 Salt Lake Community CollegeWon — 25-21, 20-25, 25-19, 18-25, 15-119/1 North Idaho CollegeLost — 25-19, 19-25, 20-25, 16-259/1 Snow CollegeWon — 25-23, 25-17, 26-24@ CSI Tournament9/7 College of Central FloridaWon — 25-23, 25-21, 25-219/7 Barton Community College

Won — 25-15, 25-17, 25-109/8 Laramie County C.C.Won — 25-19, 25-16, 25-159/8 Miami Dade CollegeWon — 25-17, 21-25, 25-10, 25-25, 15-99/11 Eastern Wyoming CollegeWon — 25-12, 25-10, 25-22@ Pizza Hut Invite in Sterling9/14 Hutchinson C.C.Won — 25-22, 25-15, 25-119/14 North Platte C.C.Won — 25-11, 25-23, 25-15\9/15 Lamar Community CollegeWon — 25-11, 25-17, 25-189/15 Salt Lake C.C.Won — 23-25, 29-27, 25-17, 25-12 9/20 Western Wyoming C.C.Won — 23-25, 25-14, 25-11, 25-189/21-22 Wyo-Braska Shootout9/21 Sheridan CollegeWon — 25-11, 25-16, 25-159/21 Laramie CountyWon — 25-11, 25-176, 25-99/22 Central WyomingWon — 25-7, 25-19, 25-99/22 Northwest CollegeWon — 25-17, 25-14, 25-209/25 McCook C.C.Won —25-9, 25-10, 25-99/27 Otero J.C.Won — 25-11, 25-13, 25-16 9/28 Lamar C.C.Won — 25-10, 25-18, 25-129/29 Trinidad State J.C.25-13, 25-19, 25-1910/2 @ Eastern Wyoming, 7 p.m.10/8 @ Western Wyoming, 6 p.m.10/11 @ Otero J.C., 6 p.m.10/12 @ Lamar C.C., 7 p.m.10/13 @ Trinidad State, 1 p.m.10/16 @ McCook C.C., 7 p.m.10/19 Northeastern J.C., 7 p.m.10/20 Casper College. 7 p.m.10/24 @ Northeastern J.C., 7 p.m.

Men’s Soccer Schedule9/1 @ Pratt C.C.Lost — 1-39/2 @ Barton Community CollegeLost — 0-69/8 Northwest Kansas TechWon — 4-39/14 @ Northwest WyomingLost — 1-49/15 @ Western WyomingLost — 1-59/19 Laramie County CCLost — 3-59/21 @ Northeastern ColoradoWon —3-29/23 Lamar C.C.Won — 8-19/28 @ Otero J.C.Lost — 2-09/29 @ Trinidad State J.C.Lost — 3-110/3 @ Laramie County, 1:30 p.m.10/5 Northeastern Colorado, 3 p.m.10/12 Western Wyoming, 3 p.m.10/13 Northwest Wyoming, 2 p.m.10/19 Trinidad State, 3 p.m.10/20 Otero J.C., Noon

Women’s Soccer Schedule9/1 @ Pratt C.C.Won — 2-19/2 @ Barton Community CollegeLost — 0-49/8 Northwest Kansas TechWon — 2-19/14 @ Northwest WyomingLost — 1-49/15 @ Western WyomingLost — 1-2, 2OT9/19 Laramie County CCLost 0-69/28 @ Otero J.C.Lost — 0-39/29 @ Trinidad State J.C.Lost — 0-610/3 @ Laramie County, 4 p.m.10/12 Western Wyoming, 1 p.m.10/13 Northwest Wyoming, noon10/19 Trinidad State, 1 p.m.10/20 Otero J.C., 2 p.m.

MVCMost

ValuableCougar

PattySylvester

Sport: Soccer

Position: Defender, goalie

Hometown: Loveland, Colo.

Grade: Freshman

Major: Pre-Med

Hobbies/Interests: “I like to hang out with my friends, go to the movies, and watch TV – normal friend things.”

Favorite Movie: ‘‘Th e Hang-over.’’ I’m a big ‘‘Hangover’’ person. I love them: ‘‘Th e Hangover’’  and ‘‘Th e Hang-over 2.’’

Comments: Patty has stepped up and taken on the position as goalkeeper, even though her main position is as a uni-versal player. She signed with WNCC as a defender. As a goalkeeper, Sylvester recently accomplished something that is very diffi cult – she blocked a penalty kick. She said, “It is more diffi cult to block a penalty kick than it is to hit a fastball in Major League baseball.”

— By Heidi Hancock

Continued from page 5

Soccer

HeidiContinued from page 5

BY HEIDI HANCOCKSpectator Reporter

Th e ball girls in the WNCC volleyball pro-gram don’t get a lot of recognition. Yet those girls, who are on the sidelines during home volleyball matches, certainly play a part in the Cougars’ success. Head coach Giovana Melo said, “Th e ball girls help shag balls during warm up, and they rotate the balls around the gym and give them to the servers during the game.” Keeping the balls moving helps keep the game fl owing nicely. Many opposing players are not familiar with the inclusion of the ball girls, so the surprise on their faces when they see the ball girls standing with a ball ready for them is always a nice sight. Th e ball girls always have a ball available for the players so the game doesn’t have to pause while a ball is retrieved from out of bounds. Th is change has sped up the game, “Th e ball girls are very important because they speed up the game. Th e games have been ending about 15 minutes earlier than normal because of their help,” Melo said. When asked what she looks for in a ball girl, Melo replied, “Th ey need to be able to understand the rotation and consequently the game.” She added, “Th ey need to be able to work in groups so they can keep the game fl ow go-ing.” Th e girls are positioned at the corners of the court and in the middle. When a ball goes out of bounds, the girls are responsible for bringing it back and holding it until a rotation is needed. At all times, the three sets of girls have a ball in their hands, even while there is one in play.

Th e players and coaches say they appreciate having the ball girls on the team. Th e players do what they can to make the ball girls feel like they’re true members of the team. For example, the players include the ball girls in the warm up. Taylor Vaughn, one of the ball girls, said her favorite part about being a ball girl is that “you get to meet new people, and you get to have a lot of fun.” She added that she would love to be a ball girl again in the future. Th e ball girls range in age from 7 years old

up to junior high age. Th ey work well together, and the older girls take the younger girls under their wings and teach them the basics of how to be a good ball girl. Melo said what she likes most about the ball girls is seeing “how much they love being there.” She added, “Th ey love being the ball girls for the program, and you can see the smile on their faces when they are there. “Th ey have no idea how much of a diff er-ence they are making for the game.”

Making a diff erenceWNCC volleyball ball girls help improve the fl ow of games I have to say that as much as I

love the training room, observing the athletes in their element is the perk of the job. Sitting on the sidelines watch-ing them “do their thing” gives me more insight into why and how they get hurt. Of course, I also get to enjoy the game – an-other perk of this job. On a normal day, I see the athletes when they are aching or in pain, but seeing them on the court or on the fi eld gives me a whole new perspective. I am learning over time that this is the best way to determine their treat-ment. Th e whole goal of athletic training is to know your athlete. My experiences up to this point are great proof that I have made the right choice to change my major. Whether it be a simple muscle pain or a torn anterior cruciate ligament [ACL], each person that walks through the doors into the training room is unique and his or her story is dif-ferent. I can say without a doubt that in no way will my life ever be boring. And that’s just how I like it!

Q: Do you do anything specifi c be-fore games to get yourself prepared? A: I pray to God and play every game for my grandma that passed away. I usually cough a lot be-cause I get really nervous and lis-ten to Adele and Christina Perry. Q: What’s your favorite thing about soccer? A: I like how all eleven players have to play together to play as one and the feeling you get when someone on your team scores or when you score. Q: If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be? A: Friendly.

Men’s SoccerMen’s Soccer Women’sWomen’sSoccerSoccer

WNCC’s Laura James (right) hustles aft er the ball during the WNCC women’s soccer match with Laramie County Community Col-lege on Sept. 19.

Spectator photo

GreatHustle

Atley Watson throws the ball to the server during a recent volleyball match. Several area youth are participating as ball girls for WNCC’s home volleyball matches this year.

Photo by Heidi Hancock/Spectator

Sports

online.nebraska.edu/bachelorChoose from 18+ online bachelor degree completion programs.

More than 3,000 miles away from their home country of Venezuela,

Fatima Balza and Andres Gomez laugh and quickly exchanges comments in Spanish as they reminisce about the traditional food in their respective home cities. Balza, of Merida, Venezuela, found her way to Scottsbluff and WNCC on a volleyball scholar-ship. Gomez, of Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, moved to the Panhandle to be with his brother, Alex Gomez. “People think that Venezu-ela is a dictatorship. Th at’s not true. We vote and have a say in what we do,” Balza said when questioned about some miscon-ceptions she has heard about her native country. Offi cially known as “Repúbli-ca Bolivariana de Venezuela” (Bolivarian Republic of Venezu-ela) and consisting of a sprawl-ing 916,445 square kilometers on the northern coast of South America, this country is covered with some of the most diverse terrain in the world. Th e Andes Mountain range in the west, the Caribbean coast, Amazon Basin rainforest in the south, and the Orinoco River Delta to the east provide a plethora of diff erent habitats for animal life. With a population of more than 29 million, Venezuela consists of 23 separate city states, with the capital being Caracas. Caracas, a bit of an unsavory city, according to Balza and Gomez, is the political hub of Venezuela

and is a short 20 miles away from the Simón Bolívar International Airport (SBIA). Th e largest airport in the country, contract-ing with more than 40 airlines, including several American airlines, SBIA traffi cs more than nine million people each year.“You shouldn’t go out by your-self, especially aft er 11 o’clock,” Gomez reports about the capitol, his home city. Surprisingly, Caracas isn’t even on the top list of places to visit while in Venezuela, at least not according to its na-tives. Merida was number one on Balza’s list of cities to visit. Merida is in the state of Merida, which covers just over 11,000 square kilometers. Having a cooler climate than the fi erce Caribbean heat that Caracas is known for, Merida weather usu-ally lingers between 19 and 20 degrees Celsius (66 to 68 degrees

Fahrenheit). Covered in lush, green vegetation, veined with rivers, most notably the “Chama” River, and dotted with hundreds of lakes, Merida State is a hiker’s paradise. La Traversia is the most well known; however, there are upward of a hundred diff erent trails with which to challenge oneself while in Merida. So you’re not a big hiker but still want to snap a photo moun-tain side? Worry not. “El Tele-ferico de Merida” is the highest cable car in the world, stretching over 12.5 kilometres (7.8 miles). Beginning in the town of Merida at 1,640 metres (5,380 ft ), and its ending on Pico Espejo, at 4,765 metres (15,633 ft ), this architec-tural feat was opened in 1960; however, it was closed in 2008 to undergo four years of intense remodel and is scheduled to reopen in October of this year.Aft er a day of hiking and cable

car riding, a traditional Venezu-elan meal will surely be at the forefront of one’s mind. “Food stands are food, but they are for people in a hurry. For a traditional meal, restau-rants are the best,” explains Gomez. Balza chimes in with, “but the foods are diff erent in each city. For example, traditional food in Merida is not the tradi-tional food of Caracas.” Balza frantically writes down a dozen diff erent dishes and drinks that are “must haves” on vacation to Venezuela, includ-ing Patacones, Arepa, Pabellon, Empanadas, Pasteles, Papelon con Limon, Frescolita, Malta, Chicha, and Cocada, all of which she assures me can be found in most restaurants. While cuisine may change from city to city, the two could agree on the frequenting of open markets. Th is rings true to most of northern South America for fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, and meats, which are purchased not in grocery stores but in open air markets. “You don’t buy juice, like people buy orange juice or grape juice here; we make all of our juices,” says Balza, further explaining that there are side-walk carts all over the city that sell nothing but on-the-spot squeezed orange juice. “Watermelon juice is my favorite,” Gomez said.

Lunch is the main meal in Venezuela, being served be-tween 12 and 2 in the aft ernoon. Generally consisting of espresso, breakfast is just a charge for the day. Lunch, however, consists generally of soup, rice, beans, and some kind of meat. Dinner, like most of Europe and South America, isn’t served until 8 or 9 p.m. “It was so strange to be eating dinner at 6,” Balza recounts of her fi rst few weeks in the United States. While France in known for its wine making, Venezuela is known for its beers and rums. However, with 90 percent of the population being Catholic, drinking is almost exclusively a social activity. Semana Santa, or Lent, is one of the most important holidays of Venezuela. Lasting all week, families attend church every day, and large meals are prepared daily. However, if you are going to visit Venezuela for a holiday, make it Carnaval. Celebrated forty days before Easter, the country all but shuts down for this fi esta of parades, eating, and dancing. Everyone, even tourists, is welcome and encouraged to enjoy the festivities. Whether it’s a summer hik-ing trek, a week at the beach, or a traditional Carnaval you are looking for, Venezuela delivers. From rainforests to mountains to water front, everyone can enjoy a little bit of Venezuela.

Everyone can enjoy a little bit of VenezuelaOct. 2, 2012 — Page 8BBackpageackpage

Best thing about living in

the dorms?

Worst part about living in

the dorms?

Best thing about being away from

home?

Worst part about being away from

home?

Living close to the school

The cafeteria food isn’talways the

best.

You get to have more freedom.

Missing my mom’s home cooked meals

Social life The rules you have to follow Freedom College

expenses

You get to meet new people

Sometimes there is a lot of

noise.

You startto be more

independent.

Missing my family

Freedom to get out and do whatever you

want to

Getting in trouble for not following the

rules

Freedom to do things

Not beingable to go

to sleep when you want to

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What do you think?What do you think?

Lore said she enjoys living on her own and studying at a college that is close to her family and friends. Th e friendly and familiar atmo-sphere of both the community and the student body contributed to her decision to start her college career at WNCC. Another student, Maria Her-nandez, also likes being just a short distance from her home. Hernandez, who started her general studies last year, prefers the size of WNCC, which allows in-

structors to have a more personal connection with students, there-fore, boosting students’ success. While WNCC has been a hit with students both from around the area and from across the na-tion, the college also attracts a number of international students. In fact, more than 20 countries are represented among WNCC’s student body. Tajikistan, Gambia, Germany, and Bolivia are just a few of the many countries that are represented here. Bernard Yego, who has a Mas-ter’s degree in business, is an inter-

national student from Kenya. He chose WNCC because it’s not just a place for students starting their college careers, it’s also a place for people transitioning into new ca-reers. Not only does the college off er the program that Bernard wants to go into, pre-professional nursing, it also off ers classes with credit hour costs that are seven times lower than the cost of credit hours at another institution he was inter-ested in For those reasons, he decided to commute to WNCC from Tor-

International Country Spotlight: VenezuelaBy Alexandria Moree

WNCCContinued from Page 1

During Fall Frolic events, a homecoming dance was held on Saturday, Sept. 22. Mr. WNCC was awarded to Taylor Severyn from Mitchell, and Ms. WNCC was awarded to Ashley Hill from Mitchell.

Mr. and Ms. WNCC