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8/3/2019 Housatonic Horizons October 2011
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8/3/2019 Housatonic Horizons October 2011
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ContentsHorizonsHorizons Staff
Editors-in-ChiefLovanda Dava Brown
Editor-in-Chief EmertiaTori Centopanti
AdvisorProf. Steve Mark
News and Outrach EditorDeb Torreso
Opinions EditorJennifer Claybrook
Sprts Editor, Editor-at-LargeT.J. Mallico
Web DeveloperAdam Bello
ReportersMary Anderson
Kaitlyn Barra
Mark Bein
Tom Cahill
Ashley Campbell
Stephanie Castillo
Tamirah Collins
Mohammed Dafalla
Samantha Delgado
Chad FisherChris Galli
Laura Gustafson
James Harlow
Darren Harris
Chris Heun
Vanessa Hylton
Keri-Ann Jackson
Isaiah Jefferson
Jay Lederman
Andrew Mathieu
Janette McClure-Kuhn
Raul Rodriguez
Sam Rosoff
Ashley Stephen
Jason Stover
Eric SwansonAustin Vaughn
Ashley Walley
Dave Weidenfeller
Lauren Weinstock
Graphic Design Staff
Design AdvisorAndy Pinto
Design Directors:Lauren Hartlett
Daniel Bourque
Abelardo Pulido
Design StaffVera Cotrim
Zachary Cowan
Samantha Dankulich
Romar Edwards
Sergio Escobar
Cassondra Fama
Carol Humbert
Michael Kelly
Tammy McMichael
Cassandra Mendoza
Alyssa Poplaski
Sharon Poplaski
Jean Salomon
Nicole Strazza
New Smoking Policy at HCC 3By BoBBi Brown
SeniorStaff writer
Do You Have Your ID? 3By Sam roSoff
Staff writer
Students React to New Smoking Policy onCampus 4By Lauren weinStock
Staff Writer
HCC Budget Cuts Affect Enrollment 4By kaitLyn Barra
Staff writer
Interns Experience Politics in Action 4By auStin Vaughn
Staff writer
Hurricane Irene: 5By BoBBi Brown
SeniorStaff writer
Disaster Preparation Tips 6Bywww.proVidentLiVing.com/preparing
Motherly Love 7By rauL rodriguez
Staff writer
Honors Program Grows Rapidly: 7By Laura guStafSon
Staff writer
Summer Days 8By JameS harLow
Staff writer
9/11 Remembered at HCC 8By aShLey Stephen
Staff writer
Who Dropped the Soap? 8By Samantha deLgado
Staff writer
Succeeding in Online Classes 9By mohammed daffaaLLa
Staff writer
Avoiding the Pitfalls of Transferring 9By Brandon t. BiScegLia
contriButor
To Save Or Not To Save 10By tom cahiLL
Staff writer
Tutoring at HCC 10By aShLey campBeLL
Staff writer
The Trouble With Our Water 11By eric SwanSon
Staff writer
Beauty? 12By aShLey waLLey
Staff writer
The Ugly Truth About Beauty 13By JaSon L. StoVer
Staff writer
Is it Getting Tight in Here? Global Population
Expected to Reach 7 Billion This Month 13By Jay Lederman
Staff writer
Wellness Center Needs More 14By t.J. maLLico
Staff writer
Feeling Secure At School? Read This! 15By chad fiSher
Staff writer
Entertainment Industry on the Decline? 15By markBien
Staff writer
Everything You Could ever Dream Of 16By auStin Vaughn
Staff writer
Hip Hop Lives at Housatonic 16By tom cahiLL
Staff writer
A Gospel Gangsta 17By mary e. anderSon
Staff writer
How Are You Watching Television? 17By andrew mathieu
SeniorStaff writer
Its Not Just a Funny Movie:The School of Rock Real 18By daVe weidenfeLLer
Staff writer
Contract Issues: Ichirio Suzuki 20
By tJ maLLicoaLLicoStaff writer
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Interns Experience Politics in Action
By kaitLyn Barra
Staff writer
You may have heard about budgetcuts to the community colleges.
What do these budget cuts consist
of? How badly will this budget cut hurt
Housatonic Community College?
On the HCC website, it states that
on February 28, 2011, the HCC Student
Senate sponsored a bus trip to go to the
Appropriations Committee meeting, in
Hartford, in regards to state budget cuts
to community colleges.
The May 4 Connecticut Post reported
on about 100 students at HCC starting
a rally to protest the state budget cuts.
Post, Its projected that 400 faculty
and staff will be cut from the Commu-
will be full-time professors. Housatonic
will most likely see about 30 full-time
faculty layoffs. Shake also collected
2,000 signatures on a petition to protest
the budget, which was allowed by the
House of Representatives.The Post also reported that Gover-
nor Dannel P. Molloy plans to budget
$143.5 million from colleges and uni-
versities in the next two years. For the
2011-2012 academic year, it will take
about $10 million from the states com-
munity colleges. Then, in the 2012-2013
year, another $3.5 million would be cut.
Shake also informed the Connecticut
Post on May 4, Budget cuts would hurt
low-income students who rely heavily
on the community college system. This
is an attack on the poor-- 90% of our stu-
dents are low-income.
Ashley Ulrich, 18, of Milford,
-cial aid, I would never be able to go to
school. This is unfair to the people who
do not have the money to afford school.
According to the Post, community
college full-time tuition costs $3,024.
However, that will increase in the next
year. Next year, full-time tuition will be$3,096. Then, the 2012-2013 year it will
cost $3,168.
Alyssa Tejada, 19, of Milford, said,
This is unfair to both the students and
the faculty. This budget cut is going to
cause overcrowded classrooms, less
professors, and little help for those in
need.
If this budget cut goes through, there
could be increased tuition and fees, cuts
in courses, programs and services, less
student labor hours, fewer faculty, and
less scholarship assistance available for
individuals.
This budget cut will hurt both the
students and faculty. Also, it will havea huge effect on the community college
-
creased tuition and fees, HCC will be
losing a lot of students. Also, the stu-
dents will lose out on courses and pro-
grams that are being cut due to less fac-
ulty.On October 2, the Post reported that
at HCC, which has seen enrollment
more than double since it moved down-
town 14 years ago, overall enrollment in
2011 is down 222 students, or 3.6 per-
enrollment at HCC is down 4.5 percent
from 2010 to 2,242 students. Part-time
students.
HCC President, Anita T. Gliniecki,
told the Post that budget cuts forced her
to cap enrollment. We came as close as
possible to enrolling the same number
of students that HCC had last spring,
Gliniecki said.
HCC Budget Cuts Affect Enrollment
By auStin VaughnStaff writer
Agreat way to move from po-
litical science to political
action. Invaluable oppor-
tunity to experience the political process
are statements expressed by students who
have had the amazing experience of in-
terning with Senator Richard Blumenthal.
In the past, students who were inter-
ested in political science or law were
given the opportunity to intern with statesenators in Hartford or with United States
Senator Richard Blumenthal in either his
were presented with hands on political ex-
periences to help them develop their skills
and learn more about the political process.
Participants learned about public service
and were able to work with politicians
and constituents around Connecticut. Now
these opportunities are available for stu-
dents at Housatonic and across the state.
In the state representative program,
students can work one on one with a statelegislator as a member of their staff while
earning college credit and experiencing
the Connecticut state legislative process.
Student[s] will be given many tasks such
as researching bills, preparing testimony,
and assisting constituents, says Steve
Marcelynas, the director of the Legisla-
tive Internship Program. Students will be
expected to work hard and take on respon-
sibility as a productive member of their
legislators staff. Participants will get a
good understanding of how public policy
is created, learn about job opportunities inthe public sector, and gain experience and
skill that they will need post graduation.
Senator Blumenthals program pro-
vides an excellent opportunity for students
-
ticipation, according to the programs
brochure. The program intends to provide
tools, skills, and experience for students
in order to better themselves and to be
ready for the future. According to the bro-
chure, the program expects a great deal
Students React to New Smoking Policy
on CampusBy Lauren weinStock
Staff writer
Anew policy at HCC currently bans
smoking except in designated ar-
eas of the campus, and severalstudents that wanted nothing more than to
voice their opinions and reactions to these
newly passed restrictions.
Vivian Guzman is a non smoker who
believes that the smoking ban on campus
should be okay. Smoking is banned in
respectable places such as hospitals and
restaurants, as well as other public areas.
learning; it is just as respectable as a hos-
pital or restaurant, and therefore shouldnt
have the negativity of smokers around,
she said.
Guzman has always been against
smoking cigarettes. She said her mother
smokes like a chimney, and she has al-ways hated the second hand smoke she
experienced living in their home. So when
Guzman comes to school she also hates
the second hand smoke by the smokers
outside the door of Beacon Hall, as she is
tries to walk into the building to get to her
class.
In a designated smoking area, HCCstudent, Scott Day smoking. Day, being a
smoker himself, wanted to voice his opin-
ion. As he takes a long slow out drag, he
admits he has a high level of respect for
non smokers.
What made him start smoking in the
cool as possible to all the upperclassmen
As far as the smoking ban, he took a
minute to answer as he thought about his
response. While he admitted it would be
easier for the staff to clean cigarette butts
in just one place rather than all the des-
ignated areas on campus, he insisted, I
personally enjoy smoking. I think smok-ing should not be banned and it actually
makes me pretty pissed off. He feels that
him having a cigarette helps him to be
less stressed out from the daily stress of
school. He believes that cigarettes calm
him down if hes feeling anxious.
If I cant go outside to smoke one af-
ter class I will become even more stressed,anxious and frustrated, he said.
The Secretary for Health Services,
Jhanna Rodrigueasy, feels differently. Her
daily responsibilities include recording
students health records and information.
Rodrigueasy doesnt believe the colledge
for the students of HCC. I hate smok-
ing, she said. I cant stand when people
smoke in front of me or even around me.
She feels that HCC is a place for learning
and for students to better themselves.
It is not a place to get suffocated by
smoke before entering a building, she
said.
Day argued, Some students like tosmoke cigarettes because it calms them
down and makes them feel more chill and
makes them believe they can cope with the
stress of school life.
Rodrigueasy doesnt believe this is true
and was adamant in saying, No, I believe
plain and simple that is a bunch of crap. Itslike smoking weed, they say weed calms
people down, but really it is all in their
heads. Smoking a cigarette does nothing
more than ruin your lungs and result in
cancer. It doesnt calm any student down. I
believe that is simply just an excuse. She
HCC and its students. This is a place to
learn and grow as a student. If you want to
on our own time where it is only causing
a distraction tothose around who do not
smoke, she added.
For more information on the smoking
policy, read Bobbi Browns article in this
issue.
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Hurricane Irene:Prepared, or NOT Prepared?
By BoBBi Brown
SeniorStaff writer
K
day at HCC as an incoming fresh-
semester. She was all set until she woke up
Monday morning without power, enabling
her to call friends. Her cell phone had died
the night before from updating everyone
on Facebook and Twitter about the storm
known as Hurricane Irene.
Connecticut residents witnessed gusty
wind and hours of rain. Many residents
and HCC students prepared for a storm
that was said to cause massive damage.
From Facebook and Twitter updates to
live news reports from local towns, the
news about Hurricane Irene was getting
out fast. With large winds reported to be
80 mph, it seemed Irene was approaching
fast. Although many people said they were
prepared, truth be told, many residents and
students were unaware of what to do in the
event of a natural disaster.
I was really scared. Everywhere I went
people were talking about this hurricane. I
didnt know what to expect, said Jariah
Gomez, Political Science major at HCC.
Yes, I didnt know what to expect ei-
ther, but one thing I knew for sure is that
the safety of my family and friends was my
major concern, agreed Khili Pettway, a
Human Services major.
While it might have seemed to be a
normal day for others across the world,
the grocery stores and appliance stores.
a natural disaster.
I am not even going to lie, I was grab-
bing anything in my sight, [including:]
batteries, candles, bread and water. Funny
thing is, I dont think I have ever owned a
Joshua Kennedy, a performing arts major,
shaking his head and gesturing to the mini
You got that right! Natalie Sumo said,
laughing and slapping Kennedy on this
shoulder.
It felt like black Friday, and iPods
were on sale, but in this case it was batter-
ies and food, added Sumom smiling.
According to local newscasters, Hurri-
cane Irene was going to hit the east coast
like Hurricane Gloria did in 1985. Houses
place.
I remember Hurricane Gloria, [partly]
because my name is Gloria. I remember
driving in my car during that storm. I had
to pull over and pray I would be safe, said
Gloria Brown, a Bridgeport resident and
HCC student.
The Devastating Days that Followed...
Before the storm, people who lived in
low areas or near waters were asked to
evacuate their homes and move to higherground. One of the local high schools in
Bridgeport, Harding High, was open to
any resident who was asked to leave their
homes due to the storm.
I really couldnt believe that a real
storm was coming to Bridgeport ,let alone
the east coast. I was home when the Bridge-
port cops knocked on my doors telling me
I had to evacuate because I live near Strat-
ford and that was consider a low ground
area, said Dawn Rodgers.
High School, I saw many of my neighbors
so we all stayed together and kept each oth-
er company as the storm came and past,
said Rodgers.
Many residents understood that their
lives could have been at stake if they didnt
-
ever many people stayed home or joined a
family member for the night.
I spent the evening with my brother
and his family, and we were safe but happy
that we were all together, said Fredrick
Weeks.
Prior to the storm, Mayor Finch along
with many Bridgeport residents held natu-ral disaster programs preparing residents
for what to do in case of a storm. Many
residents were, once again, unprepared
for the tornado that took place on June 24,
2010 of last year. Many people watched
their homes fall apart.
What Do We Do Now?
Many political leaders have made it
their duty to ensure the safety of all resi-
dents. The state of Connecticut was under
a curfew due to Hurricane Irene. Streetsand businesses were to be closed at 8 p.m.
Many organizations such as FEMA (Fed-
eral Emergency Management Agency),
was in full effect for Connecticut residents
who experienced massive damage to their
home and needed on-the-spot care. A re-
cent article printed by the Stamford Cur-
rent explains how the FEMA located in
Greenwich came to assist Bridgeport due
to Hurricane Irene.
Many people are really unaware of the
help that is truly out there when it comes to
a natural disaster. I have spent time volun-
teering for the city of Bridgeport by knock-
ing on peoples doors, and by asking them
to sign up for natural disaster information,saie Kory Walker, an HCC student and hur-
ricane relief volunteer.
My group was a part of day of train-
ing which educated people on what to do if
their city was in danger of a natural disas-
ter. I really felt like I was helping someone
out, or better yet saving someones life!
added Walker.
With all the running around people was
making to prepare for Hurricane Irene, one
thing seemed to remain the same. Peopletuned into their radio and TVs.
I never really watch the news, but after
hearing the constant talk about this storm, I
began to quiet down everyone in my home
so I knew the status of this storm, says
Dalen Frances, a Bridgeport resident.
-
ing, and damaged homes, streets and busi-
nesses. This storm was the talk of town. It
caused a major decrease of items in many
appliance and drug stores; however, it also
caused a major increase in revenue for
many businesses.
One word to describe the week at work
preparing for Hurricane Irene is WOW!
says Pettway.
Khaili Pettway not only a student at
HCC but is the manger at a local Walgreens
on how people react when their lives are
in danger.
I was not only shocked but in amaze-
ment at how fast our shelves were cleared!
People were buying water, batteries, food,
and candles. The amount of stuff they
grabbed shocked me. These people looked
like they were preparing for the end of the
world, said Pettway, shaking his head.
I would like to tell you how much we
made that week, but trust me, it would
-
ures, he added.
Walgreens is only one out of many
during Hurricane Irene, or better yet any
natural disaster.
According to an article published by
FEMA, they have approved over 3.2 mil-
lion people for aid. What many people
have failed to realize is that there is as-
sistance and ways to educate yourself on
how to prepare for a natural disaster. There
are other organizations that give immedi-
ate assistance such as The American Red
Cross, an organization that has partnered
with FEMA in order to cover more fami-
lies and communities. FEMAs govern-
ment assistance has been able to start
FEMA Housing Portal over that last few
years. This branch of FEMA allows people
whose homes have been severely damaged
by a natural disaster to receive home as-
sistance. This assistance places families in
of their own.
Although it is impossible to stop a natu-
ral disaster, there is no better feeling than
being prepared for whatever is to come.
People may never forget the damage that
Hurricane Irene has caused, but they will
always know what to do in case their city
or town is ever in danger of a natural di-
saster.
To learn how to apply for FEMA and
further assistance, simply log on to www.FEMA.gov/assistance.
Shows American Red Cross assistance along with FEMA.
Photo courtesy of: blogalcom
Shows the actual Hurricane Irene moving into the East coast.
Photo courtesy of: blogalcom
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Irenes Damage
This picture depicts an old tree uprooted during Hurricane Irene.
Photo courtesy of: blogalcom
This photo shows how one man prepared for Irene by boarding up building.
Photo courtesy of: blogalcom
This local store was raided by customers who left shelves empty.
Photo courtesy of: blogalcom
Disaster Preparation Tips
According to an
article published by FEMA, they have
approved over 3.2 million people for aid.
The following information was provided by www.providentliving.com/preparing for home emergencies and natural disasters.
To prepare for future hurricanes, here are a few things to keep on hand:
1. Supply of prescription and other necessary medications.
2. Flashlight with extra batteries.
3. Portable, battery-powered radio for receiving emergency communications.
4. Waterproof matches, and either long-burning candles or a kerosene-type lamp with extra fuel, all properly stored.
know how to use it.
6. Electrical fuses, if needed, for your home.
of rope for multipurpose use.
8. First aid instruction book.
9. Blankets and sheets. These can be used for warmth, for splints, and for transport of injured persons.
10. First aid supplies such as bandages, sterile pads, and antibiotic ointment. (For more information visit the web site above.)
This picture shows a man gathering water in
preparation for Hurricane Irene. Water was one
of the main supplies that went quickly.
Photo courtesy of: blogalcom
8/3/2019 Housatonic Horizons October 2011
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By rauL rodriguez
Staff writer
With homework, tests, quizzes,
is no easy chore for anyone.
-
ent and making sure youre raising your
child properly. In a recent study, statistics
show that 23 percent of college students
in the U.S. have dependent children, and
53 percent of dropouts cite family respon-
sibilities as their reason. But, doesnt this
make you wonder what its really like to
out who you are going to become as an
adult?
One such young parent did not want
her name to be shared publicly, so for this
article well call her, Jane Doe, and her
daughter Sylvia. Doe, age 23, is a sci-
ence major at Bridgeport University and
has a 3-year-old daughter, Silvia. Her boy-
friend is working full time as a securityguard at a shopping mall to support his
girlfriend and their child. She discloses
the challenges of balancing homework
and worrying about the childs safety, Its
hard to focus on the books when the kids
when the father is at work all the time. I
remember studying for a biology test go-
ing over vocab terms and hearing a loud
thud in the kitchen. Thank god, it was just
a toy my kid dropped. But that just goes to
show how hard it really is, she said.
Doe also spoke about her family and
how they are with her having a daughter.
They help with money sometimes mainly
for my education. They feel like since its
my kid, me and the father should be the
ones paying for it. But I cant say too much
against them since they babysit when I
need them to. At the same time, whenever
they do help, Im relieved but I also feel
like Im not the mom I should be, she
said.
She went on to explain that when she
angry while trying to be somewhat under-
standing, since she was an adult when it
happened. They were proud that she de-
cided to keep her child, due to her religion.
soon acted responsibly and went out to
look for a job. As the years progressed, he
would gradually switch up to higher pay-
ing jobs in support of his family.
Her advice for young mothers out therewho are going to college, or who are un-
sure if they should go is to persevere.
Think of of the opportunities youll create
for not only yourself, but also your kid.
Would she change anything about
her life, looking back now? She almost
seemed a little perturbed by the question,
but once she really thought about itm she
began slowly saying, well, I mean-- I
dont know. I mean I regret being reckless
when I was in such a pivotal time in my
education, but I dont regret having my
kid.
Many mothers have been going through
this sort of ordeal for a long time. It is not
something new that started out of nowhere.
Michelle Morales, 39, went through the
same thing years ago at the University of
Maine. She currently has a boyfriend who
shes been dating for 2 years, and who gets
along very well with her son, Jon.
Getting through college, she says, was
very stressful to say the least. I had to go
through school and go to work and raise a
child. I had her during my sophomore year
of college and it was like, just my luck.
She went into greater detail about the
issues she faced: Not only having to sac-
have anyone to take care of my kid. I did
not have anyone to watch Jon because I
was adopted. So, I wanted to prove to the
family that abandoned me that it is not im-possible to take care of a child.
The stress of going to college and hav-
ing a kid was tough on Michelle, but having
a job wasnt that much easier. I worked at
Macys at the mall and at Dunkin Donuts
to make ends meet, she said.
The childs father wasnt there to help
out. He was immature and would not help
out and kept on stressing abortion. He de-
cided it would be cheaper to move away
than to have a kid. He had no regards to
anyones feelings other than his own, she
added.
in the end it payed off. She told me she is
currently working as a Loss and Mitiga-
year. She says that her son is a sophomore
at the University of Maine. Its truly a rags
to riches story.
Her advice to young mothers is to use
protection when theyre young. Its better
to live in the mentality of work now and
play later. Having said that, I dont have
any regrets of my past. I love Jon more
than anything, she said.
In a world where having kids at a
younger age has become a trend, people
tend to forget what it really means. It
means giving up your normal life and put-
ting everything aside for the baby. It seems
like more girls are having kids at younger
ages. In a Time article published in 2008,
pregnant which is more than 4 times the
amount the previous year. People blamed
-
orizing unwed moms. What does this mean
for the future of women? I only hope that
the lesson from these two ladies is enough
to prove that our own youth should be em-
braced while we still have the chance.
Motherly Love
Honors Program Grows Rapidly:How to Get Involved
By Laura guStafSon
Staff writer
Do you consider yourself a good
student, one who is dedicated to
their academic success currently
and in the future? If so, The Elizabeth
Lombardi Doane Honors Program could
be the answer to your calling and can
become an outlet for applying your
scholarly achievements.This special academic program is
meant for the outstanding student. As the
catalog reads, the Honors Program at
Housatonic Community College offers an
enriched learning experience that stresses
intellectual challenge, in-depth analysis
and creative thinking.
Program Coordinator Kirk Hughes
describes the program as a wonderful
way for student and faculty to work closely
together. Honors students demonstrate
their ability through seminars and an
independent project, applying the skills
they learn and channeling their ideas into a
Within the past year, the program has
witnessed a substantial increase in student
participation, which Hughes attributes to
word of mouth. This was exactly right.
When students witness success amongst
their peers, it is hard not to pursue higher
goals for yourself as well.
The number of students involved in the
and the participation more than doubled.
The program went from approximately 24
scholars to nearly 50. As Hughes puts it,Were getting better students. Its getting
more competitive.
In 2009, Housatonic witnessed six
Honors Program scholars graduate and go
on to four-year universities. Aside from
the accreditation of withstanding a high
GPA, excellent grades and a maintained
academic record that will only induce
future endeavours, four-year colleges have
an itch for exceptional students.
With this in mind, a student that
demonstrates their intelligence through
the program has an even better chance
in receiving scholarship rewards, being
accepted into schools they look to apply
and may even gain strong internships in
To be applicable for The Honors
Program at HCC, students must attain
and maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher, have
completed at least 12 credits (beyond the
developmental level), receive at least two
recommendations from faculty members
and earn letter grades of B or higher in all
honors courses.
To successfully complete the program,
students must take the following fourclasses: an Honors Seminar (HN 200), an
Independent Study (HN 225), and two in-
class honors - described in the catalog as
regular degree program courses that the
Honors student takes at a more personally
challenging pace.
These courses are described in the
program literature: The two in-class
honors classes give you opportunities
to work closely with faculty in your
introduces a range of research and
academic presentation skills in order to
prepare students to take on the challenge
of designing their own semester-length
project of study in HN 225.
Although the program does require
an adequate amount of work, each step
prepares the student for the following one
as we see in the description above. The
academic work matters, Kirk Hughes
stated.
How can you get involved? The process
is fairly easy. In order to meet with the
Program Coordinator, Kirk Hughes, you
inform you of your requirements, whichare two faculty references, an information
sheet, a brief interview and a copy of your
college transcript.
After the completion of these simple
academic journey to achievement and
future success.
Contact Information:
Kirk Hughes
The Elizabeth Lombardi
Doane Honors Program Coordinator
Beacon Hall RM 229
Email: [email protected]
Scholarship Information Sessions on Transfer to Three Prestigious Womens Colleges
Women over the age of 21 are cordially invited to participate in a Scholarship Information Sessions on Transfer to Three Prestigious Womens Colleges on Monday,
The following schools will be on campus to meet prospective candidates to transfer to these prestigious four-year Massachusetts Colleges: Smith, Mt. Holyoke, and
Wellesley.These schools will be discussing the scholarship opportunities available to you to further your academic education.
Please R.S.V.P. to either Professor Pam Pirog at 203 332-5124, email [email protected]
or Professor Joan Lloyd at 203 332-5211, [email protected] Monday, October 31th, 2011
The annual Open House for Mt. Holyoke and Smith Colleges will be held on November 11, 2011.
See their websites for details, if you are interested in attending.
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Summer Days
Who Dropped the Soap?
9/11 Remembered at HCC
By JameS harLow
Staff writer
Summer is regarded as one of the
most exciting times of the season
for many reasons. Some enjoy the
the weather, while others enjoy the festi-
vals that open shop. Add 4th of July Fire-works, beautiful weather, trees and plants,
and all were missing is one huge answer
to why summer is the most exciting times
of the season. No school!
Ever since elementary school ,students
have been counting down the days until
they can trade in homework for fun in the
sun, and the students here at HCC are no
exception.
semester at HCC, made this summer
worth it. Migliazza got a job working with
younger kids in her hometown of Mon-
roe, called Summer Fun Days . She madesome new friends and learned a lot from
them.
However, it wasnt all work, Migliazzi
also made it to NYC to see some of the
best that Broadway has to offer, including
How to Succeed in Business.
It was really cool to see Daniel Rad-
cliffe on stage and then see the last Harry
Potter movie. It made the movie more real
to me, she said.
Cathy said she was glad to have a
break this summer because she had the
opportunity to see some friends who go
to college in other states: Vicki is mybest friend, and the summer gives me the
chance to hang out with her because she
goes to school down in Maryland. Migli-
azza said that she had a great summer, but
she couldnt wait to get started at HCC.
Tj Donovan, another student here at
HCC, said I really enjoyed my summer
and was excited to go back to school.
Over the Summer, Donovan said that he
went to Six Flags and had a great time
with his friends. He also made sure that
he went to the beach to enjoy the sun!
vacation and is ready to get the semesterrolling.
So, whether you spent the summer
working, vacationing, or learning, heres
yet another beautiful 2012 summer.
By Samantha deLgado
Staff writer
After an astonishing 41 years of
being on air, the soap opera All
My Children was cancelled last
month, while another ABC soap One Life
to Live, which has been on for 45 years,
will be cancelled in January 2012. The
news came in April when ABC execs
made the announcement that the network
could no longer keep the shows running
due to declining ratings. All My Children
will be replaced by yet another talk show
called The Chew while One Life to Live
will be replaced by, The Revolution whose
concept is still unknown. But a new onlinenetwork called The Online Network, pro-
jected by Prospect Park, will be picking
up both soaps in the hopes to bring view-
ers to their website.
All My Children aired its last episode
on September 23rd with a literal bang, and
leaving a frustrating cliffhanger but an
enticing incentive for viewers to continue
watching the show once it comes back on
the internet in January. According to an ar-
ticle posted on the website, Fierce Online
Video, actors have already been contract-
ed to start working on the soaps again. But
not all our favorites will be returning. Su-
san Lucci, who played Erica Kane on All
about the cancellation of the soap and has
so far refused a deal with Prospect Park.
She explains in her memoir All My Life
who she blames for the demise of the
long-time running soap.
Since the Soap Opera movement in the
toward housewives who could use soaps
to forget about their own troubles for an
hour. Delilah Diaz, a student here at HCC,
says All My Children was a comfort for
her: Soap Opera was part of my peace. It
helped me cope with life, with the things
going on. Id just go in my room, closemy door, [and] watch my soaps. What-
evers going on out there, Im just into my
soaps.
Although extremely unrealistic at
times, most story lines hit close to our
hearts. They have also been known to be
topics such as the use of date rape drugs,
domestic violence, and tolerance of the
LGBT community.
By aShLey Stephen
Staff writer
T -
struction of 9/11, the lives of the
ones who were lost still stand tall
in the hearts of Americans. On September
6, 2011, our memories of that tragic day
were once again evoked here at Housa-
tonic Community College, as the Student
Activities Center displayed photos, art,
and a quilt to remember the fallen angels
of that day.
of Beacon Hall where there were many
speakers, such as President Anita T. Gli-
niecki, Congressman Jim Himes, and Fire
Chief Brian Rooney. The event also pre-
scene of the World Trade Center attacks. A
moment of silence was shared throughout
the crowd as Arian Pagan, an HCC alum-
na, sang You Raise Me Up. The Names
written by Billy Collins was read by the
Assistant Director of Student Activities,
Kelly Hope. Some shed tears, and others
stood lost in their memories of that day.
Linda Bayusik, Director of Student Ac-
tivities, organized the event. This wasnt
here at HCC, and that Bayusik took part
in organizing. She stated that, we are still
in a time of healing, and we need to work
together in unity as a nation. With that
being said, she also stated, I felt like I
needed to do something for the school. As
a college we should come together, always
remember and never forget.
9/11 ended all back and forth I was do-
ing in my mind about joining the military,
and wish I could have attended the event,
said Christopher LaBrecque, a United
States Veteran as well as a student here at
HCC.
For anyone else that was unable to at-
tend, the photos are still spread out on the
walls of Beacon Hall outside the Student
Activities Center as well as the quilt.
9/11-- always remember
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By tom cahiLL
Staff writer
That is the question. But why save
money? The list of excuses can run
longer than your credit card bill didthis month. So how can you save money
when you have rent, car insurance and cell
phone bills to pay, while feuding with in-
It costs me more in gas to drive to work,
school and back home than I make in a day
at work. We know the drill. In a time where
jobs are scary and wages are scarier, bal-
ancing a budget as a student couldnt be
more valuable.
According to msnbc.com, approxi-
mately one-third of all Americans have no
savings and no retirement funds. From
personal experience alone, that statistic
doesnt seem to hard to fathom. My re-
percentage of those who save, but even
lower.
After speaking with approximately
30 students, only two claim to be saving
consciously for the future, money saved
saving for the future to be easier said
than done.
I have two jobs for a couple of rea-
sons, says Jesse Seno, a second semester
marketing/advertising major at Housa-
tonic, One, I love money and, two, I
spending, but a good portion of my money
is spent before its earned.
Stop. So theres the dilemma; who
knows how to save money youve spentbefore youve earned. Yes, I had to
reread that a few times
also. Its no easy
task for sure,
but as full-time
working, full-
time college
s tude n t s ,
prioritiz-
ing our
spending
can be the
You have
to know what
money is going whereat all times, said
Seno. Just being
aware still doesnt
solve anything
though, does it? Seno still spends roughly
the valley and school in Bridgeport.
Cut down on the partying, Mike Mil-
lea said on a lighter, but still equally practi-
cal note. Between home in Ansonia, work
in Shelton and school in Bridgeport, Mil-
leas commuting costs are considerable. I
try to eat at home or at work as often as I
can, he added.
Mike is lucky enough to at least receive
a discounted meal from Chilis, his current
employer. Paying his own bills, includingrent, Mike feels it just like the rest of us.
My monthly bills add up to
about $1000, including
rent. Bringing in about
$1500 a month leaves
little leeway for sav-
ing.
You have to bud-
get, prioritize. I make
sure all of my bills
are paid monthly, but
of course there is side
spending, said Mil-
lea. You still have to
live your life.
This live your life tothe fullest motto can still
be healthy when held re-
sponsibly like Millea, but
high expenses leave little
room for a lavish life style. You cant re-
ally live it up when the bank is about to
overdraft your last $20 in your account for
your $90 car insurance bill, said Maribeth
Lepri, a 21-year-old in her fourth semester
at HCC.
Everybody has their own preferred
penny-pinching practice, and its important
continuously be aware of your spending
the products you use daily.
up with the habit of store brand over name brand, a tactic she attributes to money
saved during these economic times. I
dont buy anything in stores if I havent
explained.
Choosing quantity over quality when
it comes to your personal expenses is one
there is no sure answer, but being aware of
your options seems to be the overall con-
sensus to solving this problem, and having
the ability to recognize a bargain when you
see one.
Our economic times seem to be grow-
ing worse with no looking back. Looking
and living lavishly might not be top prior-ity when school and work consume a large
portion of your day. On the other hand,
some will do whatever it takes to get that
look.
For those familiar with The Nappy
yourself ballin on a budget.
To Save Or Not To Save
Illustration by Carol Humbert
Tutoring at HCCBy aShLey campBeLL
Staff writer
Taking advantage of any little oppor-
tunity to reach success is the best
thing a person can do. Its good to
use the resources that are given to you to
improve yourself, especially when these
resources are free. Why not use them?
Tutoring is a great resource for any stu-
dent to improve themselves in any subjectthey have problems in. Even if you are do-
ing well in all your classes, why not get
extra help just to be a step ahead? The Aca-
demic Support Center is where students
at HCC can
go have tutor-
ing sessions.
Students can
have one-on-
one sessions
with peer and
master tutors,
masters in math and English.
In addition, self-Paced iMath Lab coor-
dinator, Sherry Harris, was able to provide
information about iMath and what happens
in the lab. Students are able to move at their
own pace. IMath is not a college class, but
it is to improve a students academic skills.
A professor in the lab is able to see where
a student is, and check their work on the
computer. The lab doesnt always focus
on math, but also on English. The lab is
available for ENG 013, ENG 043, MAT
a student to sign up. It is simply used on
a walk-in basis. A student can just come
in and start working. The available hours
are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Wednesday from1 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Our goal at the Academic Support
Center is to empower students by help-
ing them learn how to help themselves
says Mona Mitri,
the Tutoring and
Bridges Coordi-
nator. By having
one-on-one ses-
sions, the tutor
is able to learn
about the strong
and weak points
of their students to help them improve
their skills. Its all about asking questions
when having these sessions. Making sure
that the student understands the material isvery important. Most students come to the
tutoring center for help in math, science,
and English.
Not only can a person have one-on-one
sessions, but you can also form study ses-
sions. You can study with students in your
class who also needs help in the same area.
This is a great way to interact with people
and help each other. The tutoring center
will provide a place to meet and a tutor in
which area you wish to study. The tutoring
center also provides Mega-Math Fridays
where you can study any area in math. Ap-
pointments for tutoring are done in person
(or by phone) in room B116 of Lafayette
Hall.
Tutoring is available in the Academic Support Center.
Photo By Cassandra Mendoza
Our goal at the Academic
Support Center is to empower
students by helping them
learn how to help themselves
Happy Halloween!from the Horizons Staff
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Beauty?
By aShLey waLLey
Staff writer
B
eauty-- one word, and many
as the quality or aggregate of
qualities in a person or thing that givespleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts
the mind or spirit.
However, many can say that they
have their own meaning on what this two
syllable word really means. Some think
that beauty is really only skin deep, while
others believe that if you are not beautiful,
you are nothing. Whatever the thought
might be, its good, bad, and ugly.
Beauty isnt something that should
be restricted to black and white, so why
does it always turn out to be that way? Has
there ever been a time in grade school that
people rated you on a scale of one to ten to
determine if you are beautiful or not?
Sijourney Miranda, a 19-year-old fromMilford, explained that she did not even
know when she was considered beautiful.
Ive never cared about how I looked until
three years ago, she said.
For some, the thought of being
beautiful should not escape us because
we grow older, but it should stay with us
as we mature. Lilia Ricci, an 18-year-old
from Bridgeport, said that beauty should
always be with us. She thanks her mother,
Lilia Figueroa, for her knowing to this day
that she is beautiful, and it all started with
her pinkie.
When I was young, I had a lot of
insecurities. My mom [told me to love
grabbed my pinkie, held it up to her face,looked me in the eyes, and she said, You
have to love yourself to the smallest
and kissed it. For Lilia, that meant a lot
when she was younger to have someone
go down to her level, and tell her that she
was beautiful.
Lilas story was
something we maynot even hear that
much anymore.
Instead of mothers
and fathers telling
their child that he or
she is beautiful, the
images depicted on
televisoon are doing
it. The media is
opening up our eyes
to not only female but
males too. Some men
might even think that
if they dont have a
thing called swagg
they are not popular.Shanea Dobson,
18, also from
Bridgeport, taught
me a little about
swagg. To me,
everybody has their
Swagg, most people
would say its about
the way they dress,
but everybody can
look one way on the
outside and different
on the inside. To me,
its about the way
they dressed and
the way they carrythemselves. It can be
about [a guy wearing]
the freshest pair of Jordans, but we can go
deeper, she said.
Even asking her about whether she
would want someone that had swagg or
intellectually smart made her think her a
little. I rather look at the inside to see if
the inside is okay. I dont want him to have
full on swagg because he will only care
about what he looks like and not what he
thinks. A little swagg is good though but I
want him to be smart as well, she said.
What do men think about swagg? Isswagg a state of mind, or is there a set
Walker, 23, thinks that swagg is actually
charisma.
Swagg is an innovated way of saying
charisma./ I think swagg has to do with
the way you think and how you carry
yourself, he said.
So should every man have swagg?
Walker answered, Not only that, but if
they do have it, they just need to realize
it.
Do all guys think this way? Is swagg
really as deep as it has been explained, or
is really just skin deep?
Tavoughn Jones, 18, answers thatquestion. He tells me that swagg is just
about the clothes, and it has to deal with
the way that people dress and nothing
about the personality.
So, is beauty & swagg the same thing?
Will Nunez, 22, tells me otherwise:
Beauty is swagg, plus everything else.
Beauty is only skin deep, while swagg is
a state of mind.
Beauty and Swagg-- Two words many
meanings. While beauty before was
But quite honestly, neither is beauty. Ask a
room full of college students, both young
and old, and each person will tell you
what they think of beauty. Some might
say its skin deep, while others might sayits a state of mind. Either way, beauty is
simply beautiful.
Distorted perceptions of beauty often cause cosmetic enhancements.
Photo courtesy of earrblogblogspotcom
Curious about the services, courses, and programs at HCC? Go to
http://www.hcc.commnet.edu, the colleges home page. From there
you can navigate the various departments, search for courses, or
follow links to other useful sites, such as MyCommnet and the HCCFoundation.
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By JaSon L. StoVer
Staff writer
In a multi-billion dollar industry of glitz
and glamour, its hard to accept the
idea of ugly. Not ugly in the physical,
but in the psychological state. Individuals
ugly characteristics and shallow standardsof beauty.
We all fall victim to the media
industries adopted standards of beauty.
Beauty as an industry consists of a
cosmetics, modeling, fashion, actors,
singers, and the behind the scenes jobs.
Each have a set of standards that are not
realistic to our society to uphold.
So where do we as a society draw
the line? Where do you as an individual
draw the line? Is it okay to make physical
alterations to your body for a certain
All that glistens is not gold, as theold saying by William Shakespeare goes.
We look at these images on the TV,
walking down the runway and posted on
huge billboards and perceive it as beauty.
What did that man or women have to do
in order to look that way? Is this even
their natural appearance? We never know
because this is what we are being sold -
a false representation of beauty, which is
damaging to our society.
Lets take a look at beauty in a
psychological perspective. Beauty is
subjective, and it is based entirely on
perception.
If your self esteem is so low that
rejection, all the surgery in the world isnt
going to make a difference. If you dont
change the [eyes] through which you
look when you see yourself in the mirror,
youll never be happy, Dr. Phil told US
Magazine.
Is cosmetic surgery forced upon
individuals in the beauty industry? If so,
youre having cosmetic surgery because
of what someone else thinks. Youre
letting others determine your self worth.
What message would you be sending by
converging your
sense of self for the
beauty standards of
others?
The beautyindustry was once
targeted towards
women in particular.
Over the years
men have been
steered down this
absurdity. One of
the most common
issues caused by the
industry pertaining
to both sexes are
eating disorders.
According to the
American Anorexia
and BulimiaAssociation about
1,400 women die
of anorexia each
year. D. Farley of
FDA Consumer
Magazine reported
that men account for
15 to 25 percent of
bulimia and anorexia cases in the United
States
I think its similar for males and
females, but I think there is much more
emphasis on females, says Psychology
and Human Services Professor Claudine
Coba-Loh.
There has always been a pressure on
women to be thinner than all the models
on the runway. It seems as though men are
now feeling these pressure as well. To be
the strongest, most powerful and to have
the best build to compete with the athletes.
Is it possible to be completely happy if
you want to alter your body for anything
other than medical reasons?According to Coba-Loh, A person is
if they want to alter it. Going to drastic
means - i.e., unnecessary plastic surgery
deeply rooted in low self esteem issues
and dissatisfaction with their appearance.
This oxymoronic industry of beauty
and perfection, is the reason for our young
societys low self esteem and plague of
insecurities.
The Ugly Truth About Beauty
Perceptions of beauty are often distorted.
Illustration by: Vera Cotrim
Is it Getting Tight in Here?
Global Population Expected to Reach 7 Billion This MonthBy Jay Lederman
Staff writer
Two thousand years ago the worlds
population was roughly 300 million
people. 2011 will mark the dawn
of a historical event, as the worlds pop-
This sudden rise in population is known as
a J-Curve, and its a harsh indication thatthe worlds future population may grow
to an unsustainable amount, which raises
concerns that we will have consumed all
of our natural resources.
how much space, food, and energy, the
earth has left to offer us, one thing is for
certain--its very limited.
According to The United States Census
Bureau and the United Nations population
division, the Department of Economic and
Social Affairs has assisted in collecting,
processing and analyzing population
statistics from all over the globe. They
collect their data and create population
projections. A population projection is a
be living in a certain area at a given time.
The Department of Economic and Social
Affairs has estimated that by the year
2050, the worlds population will reach 11
billion.
Population Connection, an anti-growth
population organization based in the
United States with over 130,000 members,
set forth with one goal in mind: they
hope to educate as many young people
as possible about the sudden surge of
growth throughout the global population.
Though it may seem crass to tell a young
woman not to bear children, Population
Connection simply educates young
woman, informing them of the dangers of
an overwhelming population problem that
faces our planet in the future. What choice
they make is their own decision.
According to the organizations website,
population growth rates have fallen around
the globe since the group was
formed in1968, yet there isa global fertility rate of 2.5.
Population Connection insists
this number must fall to a
replacement number of 2.1 in
order to stabilize the global
population.
University of Washington
paleontologist Peter Ward
wrote a book in 1994 called,
The End of Evolution. He
was asked about the human
population in an article posted
on the World Population
Awareness website. He
responded, Unless we do
something about human
population, I doubt we will
be able to do anything. Ward
blames the advancement of
modern medicine, which is
responsible for longevity in
life-span and promotes fewer
deaths. This may sound like a
great thing, but when youre
counting on each generation
to replace itself you run into
a huge problem.
Yet there are those who argue
overpopulation is merely a myth, a ploy
to control the population itself. The
Population Research Institute has been
Steven W. Mosher, a Pro-Life advocate
to be allowed in the Peoples Republic
of China to conduct research, stumbled
upon the most gruesome population
control scheme in the history of mankind.
For over 30 years the government of
China has enforced a One Child-policy
in efforts to control population growth.
In a documentary video streaming on
the groups website, Mosher begins to
describe what he saw when visiting China
8,and 9 months pregnant were forced to
lay down on an operating table and in
some cases they had to be held, while they
were given lethal injections into the whom
to kill their unborn child. These inhuman
acts are still continuing in China today.
HCCs Professor of History, David
to determine whether population will
continue to increase or decline. When
youre talking about increasing the
population of any organic or biological
being whether it be man or animal, its
inevitable that they will face a sudden
crash, Koch said.
Yet, Koch adds, Generally when a
population rises too high something is
bound to go wrong. To illustrate his
point, he referred to an experiment that
was conducted using rats.
They placed rats inside of a box, and
continued adding more and more rats, he
explained. Something strange happened
once they added too many rats, though.
They began killing one another simply
because they ran out of room. Researchers
could not explain why.
Professor Koch believes there will be
a major catastrophic event in the future
that would cut down the global population
thought the human population was
heading, Koch replied, I cant tell you,
planet before.
How long will the Earth support an expanding population?
Photo Courtesy of Ourbreathingplanetcom
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Entertainment Industry on the Decline?
By chad fiSher
Staff writer
Coming and going from school, you
mind your own business. You go
to class and you leave. No one
every day. You feel safe, but, believe it or
not, you may not be as safe as you feel.
According to the Clery report,Housatonic has been a crime-free campus
as far back as the year 2008. This report
is a government crime database of almost
every college campus in the United States
and is available to the public online.
The report consists of how many
criminal cases there were in the categories
of murder/manslaughter, forcible sex
offenses, non-forcible sex offenses,
robbery, aggravated assault, burglary,
motor vehicle theft, and arson, among
other criminal acts.
But, are we really as safe as this report
seems to state?
Bridgeport isnt such a safe place
according to usa.com. For every 100,000 people in Bridgeport, there are nine
vehicular thefts, and 31 arson attempts
annually. This was above not only the
Connecticut average for each crime, but
the U.S. average also.
Out of the 435 U.S. cities with
populations over 100,000, Bridgeport
ranked 58th in violent crimes, 32nd in
murders, and 54th in rapes.
You might say, so what? According to
the Clery report our campus is safe, right?
case for Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA.According to usa.com, Blacksburg has a
much lower crime rate than Bridgeport.
safe campus was turned upside down by
two killing sprees committed by the same
man. Seung-Hui Cho managed to bring
weapons on campus, using them to kill 32
people and then himself.
This was all on a campus which
statistics show to be in a much safer town
than Housatonic.
I sometimes get the impression anyone
can walk onto our campus. There are no
gates and there isnt anyone checking
I.D.s in the parking garage or academic
buildings, said student Ashley Velez.
University, which has about the same
number of students, security measures
guards at the entrances and there are gates
at entrances which do not have guards.
If you take a quick look around the
Housatonic campus, you can clearly see
there is no gate around the perimeter, and
the buildings do not require you to swipe
an I.D. card to get in.
student Lauren Wuennemann, during later
require you to swipe an I.D. card to enter
buildings, an I.D. card which every student
is required to carry at all times. Here at
Housatonic, the school does not even
require students to acquire a student I.D.,
let alone carry one on themselves at
all times.
Other students seem agreeHousatonic is not as safe as it
seems.
Im sure I could be kidnapped
walking in the garage, especially
walking in the basement where it
is dark, said HCC student Dana
Souza, 21. Not my favorite place
to walk day or night. I have had
some guys who I didnt know walk
pretty close to me in there. At times
the security doesnt seem like it
exists. Souza added that she has
taken security measures of her own
and now carries pepper spray.
With this information, do you
feel safe? I know I dont. Im notsaying our school needs to pat
everyone down before they enter,
but maybe taking a couple extra
steps to beef up security wouldnt
hurt.
Feeling Secure At School? Read This!
By markBien
Staff writer
N -
ter, Youtube, Xbox Live, DVRs,
iPads, iPhones; There are moreforms of entertainment than there ever has
been before. The window of how long a
of our attention spans. In other words, the
ones that appeal to as many people as pos-
sible, the ones that spell every single word
out to the mass audience, will pull in the
most money.
There seems to be a much bigger gap
between the music and movies that people
consider to be quality works of art and
what makes money than there used to be.
I have never gotten behind the Music and
movies and video games all suck now, and
everything that is old is better way ofthinking because I dont believe that most
entertainment industries are worse than
they used to be, but I can understand why
it appears that way to many.
In todays world, people simply dont
want to think anymore when watching a
catchy and gets to the point in under three
minutes, and dont like video games that
are too hard, which is why so many hold
your hand the entire way through. If you
dont dumb things down and spell out ev-
erything, it turns off too many people to be
considered good business.
-
ciety now and because there are so many
different forms of entertainment, if some-
one isnt enjoying something right away
or are confused at all by it, then they are
going to look elsewhere to be entertained.
That is why the big budget movies that get
heavily advertised or songs that are playedon the radio and television all the time are
very easy to digest and arent as complex
or thought provoking as the things get
critically acclaimed or win Oscars for any-
thing other than best special effects.
plot and logical character development
aside in favor of visual set pieces and ac-
spelled out for the audience to a ridiculous
degree, so much so as to call the rare ele-
ment the humans were searching for un-
obtainium. There were the evil humans
and the nice lovable blue Navi who could
do no wrong, all led by a one-dimensionalprotagonist who tells the audience at every
turn how they should feel about situations
rather than let them interpret things for
themselves.
He never once tried to bridge the gap
between the two groups of people to at
least attempt to bring things to a peaceful
resolution, other than a scene where the
main protagonist looks longingly into a
webcam and laments about how he feels
deciding for the audience that all the hu-
mans not on the Navis side need to be tak-
en out. Despite the fact that if he did not
get the experience of living with the Navi
and learning their culture by getting the
rare opportunity of jumping into an avatar,
he would be standing right along side the
side of the Sergeant blowing the Navi tree
to smithereens. There are no grey lines of
morality; you always know who the good
guys supposedly are and who the bad guysare and their simplistic motives, because
looking at anything deeper than what can
be taken at face value would make the gen-
eral public have to think while watching is
a task that is simply asking too much. It
confuses them and confusion means less
money.
To show how it seems the industry
has altered over the years, E.T: The Ex-
tra Terrestrial (98% by critics on Rot-
-
est of the 1980s. It did contain many stan-
was not afraid to take risks in many areas
as well. E.T. was the star of the show yethe was a very ugly weird looking little
creature, which could have easily turned
many viewers off, because if the audience
doesnt like the character that drives the
story, then they dont like the movie (Jar-
Jar Binks being a prime example of what
happens when you have a character like
E.T. gone wrong).
However, his appearance played a part
to the plot development and the overall
moral to the story; that good can come
from things in unappealing forms and you
shouldnt draw conclusions on anyone or
anything based on how it appears; though
that is a very condensed version of the
story and how the characters develop and
play off of each other.
Avatar designed everything to appeal
to as many people as possible, even down
to the character design of the Navi. They
had cute cat like noses and ears, and big
wide eyes to convey innocence to appealto the children. They were also tall, strong
and tough so they would appeal to the old-
er more mature members of the audience.
What they looked like had absolutely no
effect on the plot development. The Navi
could have been giraffes with baseballs
for heads, and it wouldnt have affected
the way the story would have played out at
all. The intentions of the studio and mak-
ers of the movie were very clear, We need
a bunch of cool action scenes and make
up whatever excuses you can in order to
What really sets the entertainment in-
dustries of today and the ones of 20-30
years ago is how they are presented and
themselves. You have to search harder in
-
sented to us on a silver platter like it once
was, but that doesnt mean it isnt there.
There is still a lot of quality out there, in
fact there is now more than ever.
There are more people making music,
movies, video games, writing books, com-
ics and so on, than there has ever been in
-
-
cult time competing with the ones that can
afford multimillion dollar marketing cam-
Gain Some
Perspective
Visit www.hccperspective.blogspot.com
Continued on page 16
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elite badges.
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Its Not Just a Funny Movie:
The School of Rock RealBy daVe weidenfeLLer
Staff writer
A
s a kid hanging around with my
friends at the music shop, all we
ever wanted to be were rock stars.
My eye and heart had been captured on a
black Gibson SG, my god of a guitar. I
soon began begging my parents each and
every holiday for it.
a unforgettable, a red Memphis of course
in perfect imitation of the famous Fendor
Stratocaster.
Why the trip down memory lane? I
grew up. Adult responsibilities stacked up
higher than I could see, and my big break
seemed nothing more than a pipe dream.
Music, though, was always in earshot and
still very important to my life. I have also
been given an opportunity to explore a dif-
ferent aspect of the growing community of
young musicians, The School of Rock.
School of Rock and Jack Blacks char-
acter are based on the actual founder of the
real School of Rock, Paul Greene. Greene
founded this one of a kind music school
in Philadelphia in 1998. Why wasnt the
genius of Paul Greene around when I was
through my veins?
The school of rock, is well just that.....
a school of music focusing on all things
rock and roll, individual tastes and style
will of course vary and is encouraged. At
the School they have professional musi-
cians teaching guitar, drums, bass, key-
boards and even vocal training. So, what
is so exciting about this music school?
What makes them rock above the rest?
site, the School of Rock employs a perfor-
mance based teaching model. A program
is created for each individual according
to desire and skill level. Students attend
weekly one on one instruction, but also a
weekly group session. An article on Ex-
pressnightout.com with Paul Green also
revealed another perspective as well, ...
We teach cover songs to teach music, not
shows we ever did was Zappa
because I needed to teach mystudents time signatures and
playing modes. This is the
opposite of my experience
with traditional music in-
struction where the mechan-
ics basics were the forerunner
of the learning process.
The goal is to apply what they learn, in-
adding to stage experience. The instructors
at the School of Rock utilize this to such a
degree that students of the School of Rock
actually work towards performing at real
Rock n Roll venues, such as the multi
-generational CBGBs and The Whiskey
to BB Kings Blues Club of Times Square
going as full tilt as performing at Lolla-
palooza and as far away as Zappanale in
Bad Doberan, Germany. Can Rock N Roll
be taught?
The subject is a school that teaches
rock and roll. To some it is just another
variation of music but to others, like my-
self, it is an attitude a lifestyle border-
ing on existence. Sure lessons in chords,
scales and theory can be taught, but what
about everything else that goes along with
Rock N Roll?That spirit of self expres-
sion and personal freedom like riding the
open road on a vintage Harley Davidson
motorcycle?
Music has the power to shape culture
and perceptions, it is a release and an es-
cape; The only international language,
Divine glory, the expression to quote
lyrics from Mother Love Bones Man of
Golden Words. So again how does one
teach Rock N Roll?
Rock N Roll at the source, my favorite lo-
cal music venue, the Acoustic Caf and a
performance of my favorite rock infused
reggae band I Anbassa, why this is rele-vant? The performance will shed light to
the caliber of musician that works at the
school. Bassist Mike Tepper is a newly
hired instructor and a very highly respect-
ed and accomplished musician in the local
music scene. Tepper declined to comment
on the School of Rock because of his new-
bie status at the school, but seeing him on
stage, under the hot stage lighting, letting
into his bass guitar is better still in envi-
sioning the caliber of musicians that work
at the school. It seemed better than imper-
sonal and often non-revealing bios on a
website.
-
fortable seat the familiar textures of a rock
show begin to emerge, the smell of beer,
and cigarette smoke wafting in as people
enter the small dimly light lounge. A few
of tonights performers sit around the bar
chatting with friends waiting for the rest of
the band to show. The small simple stage
is full of equipment, electric guitars sit in
there stands one on each side of the frame,
while a pair of bongos and a drum kit com-
plete the background. The lighting bright
and concentrated on center stage. The rest
of the venue is painted in abstract arts with
enigmatic faces and swirling colors, of
true art/ music house fashion, though dim-
ly lit, the heat from the small array of stage
lighting keeps the temperature a rather
bit steamy. The electric energy in the air
picks up as more and more people begin
-
pation become clear. I watch a man close
the door to the sound booth, behind me
nine performers take there places on stage,
close and intimate with the crowd and each
other. The magic begins, I smile as I feel it
too, wondering how can this phenomenon
called rock and roll be taught.
My interview At the school of Rock is
a few hours away, I took a brisk walk to
preparations. Through the wooded open
space area leading to the marina I even-
mind puzzles its way through ideas of
The School of Rock. Will it be staffed by
a heavily tattooed man with stage scarred
leathery skin with scraggly long hair, don-
ning cheap jewelry in the images of drag-
ons and demons? Or, will it be a clean cut
over achiever who retired from the stage
for a simple or fulling life of teaching fu-
ture rock n rollers? Maybe its just a cou-
ple of average dudes or ladies who have
dedicated their lives to the passion of mu-
sic following their dreams while investing
time in the young minds of musicians to
come.
Deciding to conduct some undercover
research, I stopped in a local music store
offering music lessons in guitar, drums
keyboards and the usual school band ar-
ray of instruments, working in traditional
teaching methods conducted in cramped
back rooms. The walls were the stained
color of time like back in middle school
gyms. There were only poster size ad-
vertisements on the walls, nothing inspi-
rational, nothing rock and roll about this
place. It was just business as usual. The
atmosphere was dull, and I could tell that
the focus was on making the sale, though I
do not doubt the passion, or ability of any
music instructors here, I knew in my heart
there was no teaching of rock and roll
here. Now a bit pessimistic, I headed to
minutes to, and I was walking down the
-
thing looked just as I remembered it last
week, store fronts remained the same,
things were dull, street lights
-ing Rawleys Hotdog Sand, it
looking at a small white house
of average dimensions, noth-
ing out of the ordinary and
well kept for a business dis-
trict. The School of Rock looms over the
store front entrance like the ominous neck
of a guitar neck over fans. I cant help but
in and out of my minds eye, with its clas-
sic Rolling Stone font and actor / come-
dian Jack Black in full on rock star pose. I
try to keep the two separate.
Walking in, I could see drum kits and
simple, true to rock and roll reception area,
a small glass counter top with some hemp
jewelry and School of Rock pamphlets.
Behind a sign offering to all who looked
Your Teachers are Rock Stars Too! in
black cut out construction paper above
the computer printouts of names, obvi-
ously teachers from the School of Rock
stacked in their blank paper envelopes in
true EP fashion. Working musicians are
teaching rock and roll. This to me offers
a money making gimmick, but something
a bit more real. To the right of this optical
piece of evidence were the names of these
musicians but the feel is different, this
portrayal of names is more like those of
teachers of music not creators of rock and
rolll, but it is the School of Rock after all.
The wall next to
this is a white
wall covered
in one foot by
one foot vinyl
records in their
respected jack-ets. All the clas-
sics and most
of my favorites. Pink Floyds The Wall
and Never Mind the Bullocks by the Sex
Pistols, mingling with The Who, AC/DC
and Tom Petty to name a few. What really
made this wall of rock headliners all the
more interesting and coincidentally more
appealing were the random 11 x 9 photo-
graphs of students on stage, rocking out
just like the big boys do. To me this is an-
other piece of evidence, and I was feeling
closing to clearing the air to exactly what
the School of Rock is and how they could
teach rock and roll?
I then had a sit down with the Gen-
Springer. This sit down took place av-
erage room with over sized couches and
coffee tables. Inspirational posters in rock
and roll theme hung on the walls. I would
-
portant as the main rehearsal room and in-
structional rooms upstairs.
Springer isnt a teacher, or performer,
but I could feel his internal passion for all
things that are rock and roll. Springers job
is to hire teachers and handle the adminis-
trative duties, . He is very knowledgeable
about the programs and his passion for
music certainly emanates through his per-
sonality. He is the man behind the scenes
when all said and done. He takes care ofeverything so that the teachers can focus
solely on what there here to do, teach rock
and roll.
Springer began telling me some back
ground history of the School of Rock, my
Iphone on the coffee table archiving this
interview, a well-constructed conversa-
tion. It started by musician and music
instructor Paul Greene in Philadelphia in
1998. Instructing them he realized that
these kids were good and passionate about
both rock music and playing their instru-
ments. He also realized that as talented as
they are they lack experience and even the
opportunity to play as groups, working to-
an audience. What Paul Greene says was
his epiphany was that if these kids could
apply this knowl-
edge of music
Music has the power to shape culture
and perceptions, it is a release and an
escape.
The School or Rock looms over the
store front entrance like the ominous neck
of a guitar.
Continued on 19
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19
and develop a skill set through a perfor-
mance based curriculum and be social
with their instruments. They would then
playing in groups, instead of just knowing
how to play stuff in their bedrooms. He
began inviting these kids to his personal
band rehearsals and where theyd play
along. From this they gained experience,
and the fundamentals for the School of
Rock were born. Springer also added that,
though an unintended consequence, kidsaround the country often use this new-
aspects of their lives such as school and
even athletics.
These kids, not just here, are so
pumped about rockin, that they just carry
that enthusiasm into everything! Spring-
er said. With this, I saw why this school
of music was gaining much popularity
among parents, even leading into the adult
programs.
I think for many this paints a picture
for just how broad a spectrum the love af-
fair with Rock and Roll music really is,
nationwide, two in Mexico, and new fran-
seems to be taking root as well. In fact,
is the School of Rock hub for New Eng-
land, with one in New Canaan, and one in
Shelton. The next closest in New England
is Carver Mass, then Boston.
Springer talked about how lessons
cater to all levels of skill, and that each
level has their own group. Each respec-
tive group is working on their set of songs.
Springer also broke down how the shows
are grouped out. The more advancedAll-Star group is formed from kids re-
gionally and tour during school breaks,
he said.
of them yet, but locally, were the talk of
the schools Besides the actual instruction
these kids are hearing the classics played
by the legends who wrote them, they have
a better understanding of the music. They
hear the song, and their own individual
parts, and then at rehearsal they play it
together in there groups. While one group
is playing their songs the rest of the gang
hangs out in the lounge, eating, sometimes
doing home work, practicing their parts or
sharing ideas with new friends. These re-hearsals last three hours and the groups ro-
tate so they can keep stress and frustration
levels to a minimum. We joked momen-
tarily about parents that vocalised their
jealousy of the program even if in jest. The
adult program is later at night beginning
about 10 p.m. I pictured retired hippies
returning to their roots with tye-dye shirt-
sand patruli markings making a comeback
Man, was I wrong. They are people
who played at one point in their life, and
felt like they lost there groove, or felt to
old to rock and roll. Some are even think-
ing about returning to the stage. Normalparents, taking a few hours once a week to
feel like a kid again, see themselves as the
long haired, torn denim clad rockers from
their youth. Regardless.rock music now
seems to bond children and their parents. I
cant believe that this program exists and
seems to be a growing steadily. I cant
take anything away from this , but it still
doesnt answer my question, Can Rock N
Roll be taught? Certainly the needle is
leaning towards the yes column, but Im
still not convinced.
They put shows on in area venues!
Several shows had just been played at a lo-
smack in the middle of the Black Rockmusic scene. Vincent, who did request his
last name not be used in this story, and co-
owner of the establishment, told me thateven though the shows were held much
earlier than there busy hours, the turn out
was much larger than he had expected.
Much of the audience were parents, sib-
lings and family friends, a mixture of lo-
cals and regulars were along for the ride,
with pleasant results.
Now I know that most parents will sup-
port their children and give them positive
encouragement, but it was the locals that
made the difference. Vincent told me that
it was the regulars and locals that inquiredabout the performers, asking who they are,
and are they playing again, oblivious that
these kids were actually part of a legiti-
mate program of music instruction. They
had clearly rocked the crowd. Time to take
this adventure to the next level, buy my
own concert tickets and see the show.
I feel as though I have only unlocked
the true nature of this progressive school
of music instruction and the effect on mu-
sic today. Besides seeing the students per-
form, and hearing for myself, the next step
is to try and speak to Green and take a trip
to the patriotic city of Philadelphia. Visit
-
ence on Rock N Roll.
TRANSFER FAIR 2011
Wednesday, November 9
10 a.m.-1 p.m.Beacon Hall Event Center, Beacon Hall
COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES ATTENDING AS OF PRESS TIME
Questions? Contact Marilyn Wehr, HCC Counselor
203-332-5042 or [email protected]
Adelphi University
Bridgeport Hospital School of Nursing
Bryant College
Central Connecticut State University
Charter Oak State College
Connecticut Community College/Nursing Admissions
Hofstra University
International University of Nursing
Johnson & Wales University
Long Island University/Brooklyn Campus
Mercy College
Mitchell College
New York Institute of Technology
Post Universi