Spring20IS, Issue #6 The Crier Is Sponsored, In Part, By Student Association April 21 st, 201S CCC:What Makes the Difference? By: Nick Curreri I believe most students, especially those who have been to another college, can tell the difference between Coming Community College professors and professors elsewhere. There are great professors everywhere, but the concentration of outstanding educators on “The Hill” is miraculous. There is a distinct, tangible difference between those who are great teachers and those who aren’t. That is at any level, from elementary school to college. This difference can also apply to tutors or those simply giving advice or speeches. The difference is energy, engagement, and compassion. It is difficult to be engaging, especially when the energy is not present. Energy can also be thought of as enthusiasm. However, enthusiasm is not necessarily being loud or jumpy; it must be concentrated for the most part. Many people associate energy with wild behavior, but professors here on campus are able to focus their energy/ enthusiasm for their subject in an amazing way. Of course, every teacher goes on tangents, which may or may not actually be relevant to the current topic of class, but these brief moments are necessary in most classes. Good professors are able to channel their energy into their class activities, students, and curriculum. This creates engagement among their students, even the apparently uninterested ones. Motivated students look to the level of energy the professor displays to regulate their own efforts. Even the brightest students may struggle or lose interest if the professor is not very engaging. Unmotivated students will rise to a higher level, if a Students recognize the difference between engaging teachers and those who just seem to be there because someone has to teach the class. It is not that any professor lacks the knowledge to teach the class, they may be one of the brightest minds in their field. These professors lack a personality, a motivation to inspire. Students are not born smart, they are not born motivated for anything other than sur- vival; experiences create their world view and personality. It is not too late to activate a student’s drive in college; every student is capable of reaching a higher standard. It is up to the educator to unlock their extra potential as much as it is the student’s responsibility. A teacher must have energy and compassion when interacting with students; this energy creates engagement among students because they respond to a teacher’s level of energy and engagement. No one likes a boring presentation; it automatically creates disinterest in the topic. Often people wonder why certain subjects have stigma attached to them, but sometimes it may be obvious. Math seems to create disinterest in many people; potentially they had teachers who displayed the same attitude when teaching the class or were just plain boring and unengaging. A professor who creates engagement and shows some compassion can create the exact opposite stigmas. Theoretically, anyone could love to do any activity, but there are reasons why certain activities are perceived to be only for particular groups. As a man it is seemingly unlikely that I would ■0H, PAGE 2 THE CRIER SPRING 2015, ISSUE #6 CCC Continued By Nick Curreri love to dance ballet, but it depends on the teacher and my first experience. If the teacher continues the stigma that I should not be there, and or does not show a love of ballet, I would feel disinterested and not want to continue learning ballet. Of course, individuals naturally like or are drawn to certain things, but a bad teacher can turn even the most adamant lover of a subject away. While a good teacher can take the most adamant hater of a subject or activity and at least give them an understanding of the topic. Professors at CCC seem to possess a naturally high level of focused energy, which is why I believe the staff is so strong. Coupling this with a genuine concern for students lives, future prospects, and long term goals the level of commitment shown by faculty and staff is outstanding. Of course, not all experiences are perfect, but that is how individuals realize the truly great experiences they have had. I have personally learned an incredible amount of content from all at CCC, but more importantly they have taught be how to be a good person, how to have good character, and how to properly interact with and treat others. CCC not only gives students top transfer prospects because of the rigor of classwork, CCC teaches those willing to listen how to approach life in a meaningful and successful way. The value of this type of knowledge cannot be estimated. Content may be forgotten, but character development is internalized and utilized indefinitely. The Learning Commons By Tracy Goins The Learning Commons is a place of academic excellence, a place were learning, relaxation and fun go hand-in-hand. But is it hard to get help? Has something changed? If so, what was it and did it change for the better? I got down deep to get the answers. What I discovered were conflicting stories. The tutors say that everything is basically the same, the only difference is the larger space and the increased amount of hours they put in. To the ones that need help, a lot has changed. They say there are not enough tutors to go around, it is too noisy, and they don’t like the larger space. For some, the larger space is hard to adjust to. Not all students felt this way. My sources within the Learning Commons say it is all about perception. I agree with this because everyone has their own opinion about people, places, and things. My sources says that there are a few ways to get a tutor - for writing help you can set up an appointment, and for any tutor as soon as you walk in, you can look for one or ask the receptionist for help. My sources are helpful and very considerate and I thank every one of them. So as to whether or not the Learning Commons has changed—that is for you to decide. SPRING 2015, ISSUE #6 THE CRIER PAGE 3 Pie Your Teachers Before They Hit You With Exams!!! By Crier Staff On April 30th, The Crier and the History Club are joining forces to throw the first ever Baron Bash! This event will give students a chance to relax and have a little fun before exams begin. The event was designed for a student on a budget and all proceeds will go to the Ugandan Water Project! Tacos and Nachos will be provided by AV7 Fresh and it will only cost $1 per student. Students will also be given the chance to spin the prize wheel for only $1 and participate in dollar raffles. There will be yard games that are free for anyone to use and a variety of music will be played. Want to know the best part? Professors have volunteered to support the Ugandan Water Project too! For only $1 per try, students will have the opportunity to throw a pie in a professor’s face! An official list of professors participating will be released on Tuesday, April 28th in the commons during the lunch hour. During this time students can purchase advanced tickets to avoid the lines on Thursday. Come out to support student clubs, charity, and have some fun! Militants Target Kenya's Future: 147 Dead in Massacre By Corey Hankinson If a country's future lies in its students, then a large piece of Kenya's future lies dead. This past month, dozens of students at Garissa University College were told by armed militants to come out from their dormitories if they wanted to live. Those that did were lined up and slaughtered. The attack left 142 students and 5 others dead, 104 injured, and hundreds more missing. Before they were shot, the students were asked if they were Christian or Muslim. Those that replied that they were Muslim were spared. Hours after the attack began, Kenyan security forces closed in on the gunmen, who took hostages inside a dormitory building. The militants then separated those students that were Muslim from those that were Christian, keeping only the Christians hostage. The authorities were able to kill four of the attackers, and arrested five others in association with the attack. A spokesman for "Al-Shabab," an Islamic militant group that operates across the Kenya-Somalia border, claimed responsibility for the attack. In Arabic, "Al-Shabab" means "the youth." According to the BBC, Al-Shabab reportedly has ties to a number of major Islamic millitant groups in the Middle East and Africa, including A1 Qaeda and Boko Haram. The massacre is only the latest in a series of Al-Shabab's operations in the region. One previous operation left 68 people dead in a shopping cen- ter. Each of the shoppers was asked to recite a verse from the Koran. Those that were unable to were shot. In the aftermath of the attack, Kenyan police are circulating wanted posters featuring regional terror suspects. According to the Associated Press, Kenya's President, Uhuru Kenyatta, vowed "harsh moves" against the militants after the attack. In another speech, he also urged the accelerated training of thousands of police recruits in order to enhance the country's security. PAGE 4 THE CRIER SPRING 2015, ISSUE #6 Old Music New Ears:Album Review By Nick Curreri John Fogerty became immensely famous during the short life of Creedence Clearwater Revival, but his initial solo albums did not live up to the horizon of expectations he or his audience was accustomed to. It would not be until 1985’s Centerfield that Fogerty reemerged as a star. This self-titled album released in 1975 would be the last album until Centerfield. It is a highly underrated and deserves recognition, which it has never received. The album begins with a classic tune that gets little recognition. “Rockin’ All Over the World” was a minor hit for Fogerty, but became a major anthem for the Frantic Four (AKA Status Quo). Status Quo opened the original Live Aid with the song. It reminds the listener of the old CCR days, but with a more treble twang sound. The song has gained popularity and Fogerty has played it live more recently; it is a fan favorite and a solid song to start an album with. Fogerty continues with a cover of Sam Theard’s, “You Rascal You.” It is an enjoyable cover and it continues the upbeat tone of the album, although it is slower than the first song. “The Wall” is up next; it is upbeat, like most of the album, and flows well with the first two tracks. The album has a similar sound throughout, which can seem boring to some. In my opinion, the songs are consistently good, even the lesser songs, so I appreciate that the songs do not deviate from what works. “Travelin’ High” picks the tempo back up a little bit and is a better song than “The Wall.” It leads into the last song on this side of the album, “Lonely Teardrops.” Teardrops is not a slow song, even though it is a “sad” song. Fogerty’s style makes it upbeat and enjoyable; it could even be danced to. It does not sound like the song you would imagine when reading the title. The second side of the record begins with, “Almost Saturday Night;” which is another Fogerty classic. A fan favorite and a song that gets played live. This song only reached number seventy-eight on the charts in the U.S., “Rockin’ All Over the World” reached number twenty-seven. Other artist’s covers of “Almost Saturday Night” have also become very popular. The first songs on both sides of this record set a high standard. The next song, “Where the River Flows,” is a favorite of mine. It is a short song, even by Fogerty’s standards, but is very powerful. The sound is great to me and Fogerty’s vocals are unique, yet similar on all his songs. The album continues with another cover, this time it is Huey "Piano" Smith’s “Sea Cruise.” This song is another good cover. Fogerty is able to do cover songs and make them better or different, not just use them as filler or as a way to take advantage of the song’s prior popularity. The second to last song is the slowest of the album, but not quiet or super slow. “Dream Song” is excellent, and does not get a lot of attention, then again, neither does the entire album. “Dream Song” is the type of song that is very good, but just did not work at the time. The final song is “Flyin’ Away.” The tone and style of the album is sort of getting worn out at this point. With a stronger closing song, the entire album would have been off the charts in my mind. “Flyin’ Away” just does not live up the quality of the rest of the album. SPRING 2015, ISSUE #6 THE CRIER PAGE 5 What Can Be Done to Prevent Sex Trafficking? By Ian Valone Allow me to start by telling you the story of Memey. Memey was born in Temanggung Central Java, Indonesia. She comes from a poor family and had a very rudimentary education. When her husband passed away and left her with a small child to feed she saw no option but to try her luck seeking employment abroad. She says, “I looked at my son and my family and knew I could not meet their needs”. Her neighbor wound up telling her that there was a job abroad as a waitress in Malaysia. She figured to herself, “since I had worked in Singapore previously, this (should) be a similar, if not better, opportunity”. Unfortunately, for Memey, this would not be so. It was not too long after she arrived in Malaysia that criminal networks took advantage of her vulnerability and it dawned upon her that her new profession would be not be waitressing. Instead, she would be a sex worker. Sadly, this is a predicament that many individuals find themselves in, and it is unfortunate that it happens. While, you may dismiss Memey and think to yourself, she is in a third world country, that doesn’t happen here in this land of the free. It just so happens that there are 14,500 to 17,500 trafficking victims in the US alone, according to William McDonald, who wrote the book Explaining The Under-Performance Of The Anti-Human-Trafficking Campaign. It’s a problem that is relevant and it’s happening right under our very nose. So, with a statistic like that, do you feel enough is being done to prevent human trafficking? I do not. One of the most important factors is to reduce demand. According to the article, Still Neglecting the Demand That Fuels Human Trafficking,“If demand is what fuels human trafficking by making it profitable, it is insufficient to focus only on traffickers while ignoring those paying for the services of their victims - the market must be tackled”. One of the solutions is to organize government meetings to promote policies and programs that seek to transform ideas, perceptions, values, and behavior. Another is to convene regional workshops to discuss good practices and continuing challenges between countries of origin and countries of destination. One more would be to conduct sensitization workshops for the media and undertake local and national media programs to raise public awareness that interrogate and provide alternative to prevailing norm and behaviors generating demand. These are just a few ideas, and there are many more. The hope is that there is more awareness and education on the issue which allows it to be better combated. It curbs the desire and demand for these innocent individuals who are being manipulated and abused. It starts here, it starts with you. You know about it, and it’s right in our own backyard. Returning to Memey’s plight: she was freed, but unfortunately returned home with HIV. She started a group called SmilePlus, which supported by her local government, allows members to share experiences in dealing with the HIV and AIDs. Today, however, she is asking for more awareness of human trafficking. She pleads, “Imagine you were in my shoes, imagine this was your sister, your daughter. It could be you.” 14 800 AVERAGE AGE of a trafficked VICTIM :n the United States THOUSAND people are TRAFHCXFD each yecr 14.500 17.500 victims are TRAFFICKED into the U5 each year PAGE 6 THE CRIER SPRING 2015, ISSUE #6 Explore your personality. Meditate with chocolate. Digitally warp a picture. Become part of a human calculator. Explore the sciences and engineering. Review via film/discuss: Where Scared Waters Divide Create a memento with the C02 Laser Become a Chemist, a Biologist and a Nurse Plus other interactive opportunities DISCOVERY DAY A Celebration of the Liberal Arts and Sciences April 25, 2015 9:00AM—12:00: Classroom Demonstrations 12:00—12:45PM: Lunch 1:00PM—2:00PM: Keynote Presentation Dr. Arun Gandhi Faculty and Student Led Interactive Classrooms Corning Community College Commons Building 1 Academic Drive, Corning, NY Luncheon Speaker Dr. Arun Gandhi Founder of the Gandhi Worldwide Education Institute and Grandson of Mohandas Gandhi RSVP Appreciated But Not Required 962-9424 or corning-cc.edu/discoveryday No Admission Charge SPRING 2015, ISSUE #6 THE CRIER PAGE 7 STUDENT RCTIVIT1ES Rny ?’s stop by the Student Life Office Wed. 4/22 11:00am - 2:00pm Earth Day Fest, outside by Commons Tues. 4/28 6:00-8:00pm Coffeehouse @ Soul Full Cup featuring: Autumn Nicholas Wed. 4/29 11:50am -12:30pm BINGO @ Commons ** prizes to winners All programs co-sponsored by: CCC Student Association Midday Concerts - Spring 2015 Thursdays, 12:30-1:30PM, R004 Spencer Hill Campus, Learning Resource Center April23 Vocal/Choral Master Class SUNY Oswego faculty members, Todd Graber and Mihoko Tsutsumi perform for us and offer their expertise in coaching our student performers. April 30 CCC Student Recitalists Featuring CCC students who have prepared performance literature in their lessons this semester May 7 CCC Vocal & Instrumental Performing Ensembles Directed by Loueda Bleiler and Melvin Williams BEACH HOUSE TANNIN6, HAIR & NAILS 117 W. MARKET STREET CORNING, NEW YORK 14830 607.962.4533 M-TH: 9AM-9PM F: 9AM - 8PM. SAT.: 9AM - 6PM; SUN.: 10AM - 4PM $5.00 Off Any Tanning Package When This Coupon Is Presented SPRING 2015, ISSUE #6 THE CRIER PAGE 8 Riddle #2 By Michael Houghton Fragile treasures I hold inside, For all to see and none to hide. Amazing sculptures and science simple, Some quite smooth but others dimple. Ancient relics of ages past, Or watch as new art is cast. Mother is rich and always busy Her list of products makes one dizzy. What am I? Like us on Facebook! Search CCC Crier or copy the below link in your browser’s address bar while logged in. facebook.com/CrierCCC Have an Opinion? Get it out and get paid! — $ 10 per published article — $5 per published photo E-mail articles and photos to CCCcrier@smail.com Staff Shandelle Pipe: Editor-in-Chief/ Layout Editor Ian Valone: Assistant Editor Hope Mancini: Secretary/SAGA Representative Nicholas Curreri: Treasurer/ Layout Editor Advisors Dann Coble Erin Wilburn Christine Atkins Leslie Root UKULELE UKELELE YUKE UKEIES EASIER TO PLAY THAN TO SPELL! FROM $49.95 STOP IN TODAY! MaricH Music, Inc. 62 E. Market St., Coming, NY 14830 607-936-6044 www.niarichinusic.com 10% OFF Present This Coupon and Receive Ten Percent Discount at MARICH MUSIC If you wish to receive reimbursement for your published contributions to the paper, please include your CID number with your submissions. The views presented to you by The Crier do not reflect the views of Student Life or Corning Community College. 7) warn* CL Q. O H wma m 3 a