LEAH BRYCEFeatures Editor

KILGORE – Services were held for Scott Andrew Evans, 18, of Tatum, Feb 25 at the Tatum High S c h o o l C o l i s e u m with the Rev. Randy W h i t l e y officiating.

M r . Evans died S a t u r d a y, Feb 21, in a tragic car a c c i d e n t while on his way to a jazz concert for prospective students at KC’s Preview Day.

A recent high school graduate, Mr. Evans was Prom King, Band Beau, Mr. Tatum High School and involved in many high school activities. He was an active member of the Church at Lake Cherokee and was involved with First Baptist Church Tatum. After, high school he attended KC, where he was involved in marching band as a percussionist.

Survivors include his parents, Andy and Tammy Evans, younger brother, Jaxon Evans and his grandparents, Joe and Mary Ann Evans of Tatum; Lynn and Brenda Chauvin of Goldthwaite. He is also survived by his birth mother Linnie Lowe and sister Lauren Gould of Livingston. Mr. Evans was preceded in death by his half-brother Brandon Keaton.

SCOTT EVANS

ECC takes part in ‘Read Across America Day’

;OL�9HUNLYZ»�JVHJOPUN�Z[HɈ�YLZWVUKZ to KC’s 52-58 season-ending loss against Coastal Bend College in Jacksonville.

Kaelie Wike / THE FLARE

MEN’S BASKETBALL FALLS

Michael Brown / THE FLARE

The Flare Vol. 78 No. 16

Serving Kilgore College since 1936

Thursday, March 5, 2015

CHECK THEFLAREONLINE.COM FOR SCHEDULES AND ACTIV IT IES!

Get around and have fun, fun,

fun surfin’ through spring

break with safe ideas from The

Flare staff on Page 7.

Chloe Courtney, Avery Jimersom, Lainey Thurston prepare to eat Green Eggs and Ham in celebration of Dr. Seuss’ birthday on Monday, March 2. The two-year-olds joined other students at the KC Early Childhood Center in recognition of Read Across America Day.

Denise Macon / THE FLARE

Student diesin fatal accident

Children celebrate Dr. Seuss with snacks and books

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VICTORIA WHITWELLManaging Editor

The KC Early Childhood Center joined 45 million other participants across the nation to celebrate the

16th annual National Education Association’s “Read Across America Day” on Monday, March 2.

“The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing 3.2 million elementary and secondary teachers, college faculty, school administrators, education support professionals, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers,” read the NEA’s press release.

The NEA’s “Read Across America Day” celebrated both Dr. Seuss’s 111th birthday and the joys of

reading. Some “Cat in the Hat” activities such as reading, making green eggs and ham, and eating colored goldfish took place. The children were read Dr. Suess books by Debbie Muklewicz, early childhood instructor.

“Our goal is to show America’s children the joy of reading and build a nation of readers,” said Janet Baxter, support specialist.

The preschool class was read “Green Eggs and Ham.” After the reading, preschoolers had the opportunity to crack their own eggs and make green eggs and ham to eat.

The toddler class was read “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.” After being read to, the toddlers did a fish counting activity with goldfish and were able to eat them afterward.

See SEUSS on Page 3

RICHARD NGUYENAssistant Sports Editor

JACKSONVILLE – Costal Bend College upset KC in heartbreaking fashion Tuesday night at JISD Gymnasium. In a game that

had 10 lead changes and nine ties, the Cougars hit a number of big free-throws down the stretch to secure their 58-52 victory over the Rangers.

KC finishes their season with a 20-10 (12-

7) record. The Rangers’s night started when sophomore forward Shaq Keith cam into the game with 16 points and two blocks.

Despite struggling to shoot in the first half, KC was able to go into the first half tied with the CBC 23-23.

Although KC didn’t commit any shooting fouls in the first half, the Cougars went 14-17 in the second half, including 7-7 in the final three minutes.

The big day for the Cougars came from guards Tramonte Stewart, 19 points and seven assists, and Taylor Johnston, 13 points. Stewart and Johnston both hit huge three pointers midway through the second half to give life to the Cougars.

It was an off night for the KC guards: Jonathan “Milli” Milligan played all 40 minutes for

See RANGERS on Page 6

Spring Break

Tatum freshman was percussionist in Ranger Band

1.5 33 700THIS WEEKBY THE

NUMBERS

Q Number in millions of college students who go on spring break. Collectively, over $1 billion are spent each year.

Q John Belushi of Saturday Night Live fame died 33 years ago today at age 33 of a drug overdose. The actor and comedian is known MVY�OPZ�YVSLZ�PU�[OL�ÄSTZ�¸(UPTHS�/V\ZL¹�HUK�¸;OL�)S\LZ�)YV[OLYZ�¹

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PAGE TWO ;/,�-3(9,;/<9:+(@��4(9*/��������

Check [OLÅHYLVUSPUL�JVT�for a full calendar activities, or go to [^P[[LY�JVT�[OLÅHYLVUSPUL for live updates

Pedro RoblesSumeyye Samento / THE FLARE

FACE IN THE CROWD

QUEST classes open for enrollment

CampusConnectgets anupdate

Industrial Maintenancereceives grant

Age: 20 Hometown: West Columbia &ODVVLÀFDWLRQ��Freshman

Where are you from?West Columbia, TX, which is about 228 miles away. I was born in Tampico Tamaulipas, Mexico, but moved to Texas when I was two. What’s your major? Why?My major is chemical engineering. Back when I was about 15 years old, this older lady told me I should do it. Now it seems very interesting and that it would keep me interested career-wise. It won’t get boring. Giant squid or whale shark? Why?The shark because sharks have to constantly swim. If they stop, they die. What are your hobbies?Man, what hobbies? I don’t have time! When I did have time, I had a drum set at home and played music with friends. My best instrument to play is the trumpet. Why did you choose KC?I was looking at colleges that were academically good, so I could study for engineering. In my research, Kilgore College had a lot of good comments. On a scale from 1-10, how would you rate your feet beauty-wise?Six – they’re not too big, they’re not too small, and they’re clean compared to most guys’ feet. What’s your favorite type of music?I don’t really have a favorite. It just depends on my mood. I don’t like rap though. What are your favorite things about being a Ranger Ambassador? A residential assistant?For an ambassador, I like being able to talk to people that come

by. It helps with communication skills, and I learn about admissions. What I like about being an RA is that I have my own room and I can help people. What is your hardest class?English because I don’t have a good English background. I’m better at math and science.If you weren’t in college right now, what do you think you’d be doing?I would probably still work for my uncle as a sandblaster painter and probably would’ve ended up being a foreman by now. If you could have any super power, what would it be and why?Reading people’s minds because I wonder about people that are sad or upset, and I want to understand why they feel like that and how they feel like that. How many languages do you know?Just two – Spanish and English. What do you hope to do with your degree?I don’t know yet because my degree is so broad. Would you rather eat a jar of peanut butter everyday for the rest of your life or lose a big toe?I’d rather eat a jar of peanut butter everyday for the rest of my life because missing a toe is disgusting and I need my toe to wriggle around. Plus, peanut butter has a lot of protein.

NICK SHELLEYStaff Writer

The quick education for a successful tomorrow (QUEST) classes are currently availiable for students to enroll at KC.

QUEST classes provide the Texas Core Curriculum which is guaranteed to transfer to any public university in Texas.

The first set of QUEST classes begin in January at the beginning of the spring semester. The next set of classes will start March 16 and end May 8. The classes available to take are English 1302, Composititon and Reading and U.S. History 1302. Both classes are on Thursday’s from 6

p.m. to 8:50 p.m.Students have the opportunity to earn up

to six college credits in the eight-week long program. The classes are hybrid courses. Which means, part of the course is taken in a classroom, while the rest of the class is taken at home on a computer. Within the program, students must be able to do two weeks of homework in one week.

“The program is for those who are more fast-tracked”, said Pam Gatton, head of the academic counselling and advising department. It was developed for non-traditional students who are working full-time and want to go to class in the evening, although any student is welcome to take them.

Students usually take classes consecutively, such as English 1301 and 1302 being taken by a student in the same semester.

The online portion of the class can be more demanding on students because they have to keep up with turning in work themselves. Good time management skills and online proficiency are a necessity for students who enroll in QUEST. “It’s a good blend of online and in class work,” Gatton said.

To enter the QUEST program, a student must meet all developmental requirements, with the exception of Math 0308. High speed internet access is

necessary for QUEST classes because of the high volume of online work required. Access to and knowledge of Microsoft Word is also required.

To register for classes in the QUEST program, call 903-236-2030. The Department of Instructional Student Support Services at KC is available to assist individuals through the entire registration process, including application for admission, placement testing, financial aid to those qualified, registration and other support services.

For more information on the QUEST program, contact Ebony Daniels at edaniels@kilgore.edu.

NICK SHELLEYStaff Writer

The KC campus is preparing for an across-the-board software conversion in June. The current system used by students is Campus Connect, a Poise product.

The new software, EX, is produced by Jenzabar. It will provide the same services as Campus Connect. Indirectly providing students access to information, such as their transcript, schedule and registration for classes.

“Everything will be in this new system,” said Pam Gatton, director of counseling and testing.

Several changes are expected to occur with the new software. One is that the information students and staff get out of it will be more efficient and more cost-effective.

One group who expects the new software to improve their work-flow is the alumni office.

“It will be great to have one student record per student,” said Paula Jamerson, coordinator of alumni relations. In the past, her office has had addresses attached to multiple names, in particular when students move, marry or divorce. “This will help us clean up our files and allow us to communicate with our alumni in a more efficient manner than we’ve been able to do in the past.”

KC is also switching to the new software out of necessity since in the near future, Poise will no longer be available.

Through EX Jenzabar, KC is in a consortium with Northeast Texas Community College in Mount Pleasant and Texarkana Community College.

The different parts of the new software will be online at various times. Financial Aid will be on a different start schedule, partly due to the use of federal funds. Advising, registrar, enrollment services and other offices will be included in the new system as well.

FROM STAFF REPORTS

KC’s Industrial Maintenance program was recently awarded $353,000 from the state of Texas’ Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) Job Building Fund.

With the money, Industrial Maintenance was able to purchase equipment to provide hands-on training for students in the Industrial Maintenance Technology Program at KC-Longview.

Equipment purchased includes a Broderson Carry Deck Crane, a Genie Man Lift, six training units, two motor drive trainers, two mechanical drive trainers and two hydraulic trouble-shooting systems.

The Job Building Fund provides grants to community colleges to acquire building and equipment needed to train workers for high-growth industries throughout the state.

The money was part of a $4.8 million state grant, awarded annually since 2009 by Texas Comptroller Susan Combs’ office.

Industrial Maintenance instructors for KC are Kelly Kaemmerling and Jody Bush.

For more information on the Industrial Maintenance program at KC, visit www.kilgore.edu/industrialmaintenance or call 903-753-2642.

Faculty shows artistic talentsMultiple media on display

Longview activists continue protest

Artwork from KC instructors is presented in The Faculty Show

exhibit in the Anne Dean Turk Fine Arts Gallery.

E’Lexus Hodge / THE FLARE

N EWS THE FLARE

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015 3PAGE

HUNTER LOHREntertainment Editor

KC Visual Arts Department will be holding a new exhibit titled The Faculty Show in the Anne Dean Turk Fine Arts Gallery Feb. 23 – Mar 27.

The show will feature works from Carolyn Fox-Hearne, Larry Kitchen, Coy Lothrop and O. Rufus Lovett.

When asked about the show, Fox-Hearne commented, “About every

other year, we put up works by our faculty to show the students what their teachers are doing. It’s usually a culmination of what we’ve been working on for the last couple of years. I think students are very lucky to have these instructors at Kilgore College. I think that you can look around the state and not see any better.”

The gallery will be open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

KATHRYN AGEEExecutive Editor

Activists are holding a week-long protest at Longview Police Department March 1 through 7.

A protest in response to the shooting of 17 year old Kristiana Coignard by Longview police officers was held Feb. 9 at the LPD. The protest went peacefully, and drew attendees both honoring and condemning the LPD.

The event, called “Occupy Longview, Texas” on Facebook, has 142 members. About 10 protestors held signs outside the LPD on March 1.

The group plans on protesting for one week to raise awareness of Coignard’s death and what they feel is reform needed in the police department. There is another week long protest planned by Anonymous that will be held April 5 to 11, also at the LPD.

Audio was released by the LPD that shows Coignard had called the police dispatch after-hours phone from their lobby. Coignard called requesting help, then hung up the phone. The dispatcher then called back asking if she needed assistance, to which she replied, “yeah.” Coignard then disconnected the call again, at which time police dispatch was sent out to her. Surveillance video shows that a few minutes later

after an altercation, she was shot.The Coignard family has hired a

lawyer as facts come out about the case. Their lawyer Tim Maloney told PEOPLE magazine, “We are trying to piece together what happened that day. If anything good can come of this, it’s going to be that we improve the mental health system.”

All of the officers involved in the case have been returned to their regular positions.

From Page 1

“I like to read,” said Caitlin Slack, 4. “I think it’s fun!”

Slaback and her fellow preschooler, Lainey Thurston, 5, both agreed that “Read Across America Day” inspired them to want to read more. They also said that Dr. Suess was their favorite author.

“The part with the goat was my favorite part of [‘Green Eggs and Ham’],” said preschooler Taylor Stephens, 5. Stephens said he likes to read as well, especially about dinosaurs.

Many preschoolers said making green eggs and ham

was also their favorite part of the day.

“I don’t want eggs that are yellow because green eggs taste better,” said preschooler, Jaren Griffin, 4.

April Ward, floater, said she thought “Read Across America Day” went “really smooth.”

“I think early literacy is really important for young kids. Even to be read to helps develop vocabulary,” said Ward. “Many kids do not get to go to many places, so books help them travel.”

For more on NEA’s “Read Across America,” visit www.nea.org/readacross and www.readacrossamerica.org.

SEUSS: Children partake

in Seussical snacks

Check us out

online at:

[OLÅHYLVUSPUL�JVT

Do you wannabuild a snowman?

Students walk in a winter wonderland

The college experiences a blanket of snow in a rare winter blast.

F E AT U R ETHE FLARETHURSDAY, MARCH 5, 20154PAGE

A very happy snowman poses in front of the bridge. Students battle each other PU�HU�LWPJ�ZUV^IHSS�ÄNO[��

Sam Gebrehiowt, Waco freshman, embraces the snowfall.

JORDAN BAKER

Staff Writer

Old Man Winter came through East Texas last week and hit the Pineywoods hard with a mix of ice,

snow, and sleet. KC was one of the many educational

institutions closed February 23, giving many students a much-needed break.

“It was nice missing school, but bad on the other side,” Grand Prairie sophomore, Den-Warren Tafah said. “Now all my teachers

are dumping all their work that we missed. Like I had three test get moved to one day.”

Classes resumed on Tuesday at 11, providing a shorter day since many morning classes were cancelled. On Wednesday, the cold spell hit East Texas with more wintery weather, but this time a rare occurrence of snow fell.

“I actually did the classics, snowball fight with my family, snow angels and then I made a pirate snowman,” Kilgore sophomore, Chloe Nisbett said.

East Texans students found the campus

covered in a blanket of snow. Once again, KC closed the campus, giving another day of rest for students. From snowball fights to a giant snowman in front of Old Main, many KC students managed to take advantage of the snow day.

“I had a big snowball fight over at Nolan, until the campus cops came and made us leave,” Jacksonville freshman, Tahmad Runnels said.

This was also a day for KC sports teams to fight for bragging rights, as the football team and the men’s basketball team had

a major snowball fight in the Quad Dorm parking lot. The football team won the fight, and no one was injured or put out of season.

However, the fun and games ended on Thursday morning, when classes resumed at 9:30 am, forcing many students to brave the cold air and trek across the sloppy muddy and snowy campus.

“My favorite part of the snow was that is was like a nice, soft snow,” Nisbett said. “It was real snow and I liked that I got to play in it.”

Show up to our job fairs prepared with help from

Career Services. We can assist you in

preparing your resumé at our office in the

Student Support Building, Room 111.

Or call or e-mail us to talk about other ways we can help you take a solid first

step on your chosen career path. 903-983-8678 or

careerservices@kilgore.edu

Let us help you look ready to work!

PHOTOS BYLynn McCutchen

Rangers cap 20-10 year

Bulldogs bite Rangers

Head Coach Brian Hoberect rallies players after a Navarro run.

Michael Brown / THE FLARE

Shaq Keith cuts through defenders to the basket.

Alassane Kah pulls up for a short-range jumper.

Bakari Copeland rises over Navarro defenders in a 72-66 loss.

;PɈHU`�1VOUZVU���THE FLARE

E’Lexus Hodge / THE FLARE

;PɈHU`�1VOUZVU����THE FLARE

Jonathan Milligan goes in for the layup against the opponent.

;PɈHU`�1VOUZVU����THE FLARE

DEVIN BROOKS

Sports Editor

The KC Ranger Men’s

basketball team will be

competing in the Region 14

National Junior College Athletic

Association Tournament this week

for a chance to play in the national

tournament in Hutchinson,

Kansas. This season KC has faced

many challenges on and off the

court that could have hindered

them from being in the post-

season, but they have scratched

and clawed their way through one

of the toughest conferences in all

of Junior College basketball to get

to this point.

KC went 20-9 overall this season

and had a conference record of

12-7. KC had a similar start to the

season like last year’s Rangers

team did. They started off with a

5-0 record winning those games

by an average of 29 points. KC

then went on to lose two straight

games at home against underdogs

Arkansas Baptist College and Hill

College by a combined eight points.

Afterwards KC bounced back from

their two-game losing streak by

ripping off three straight wins by

a combined 94 points including two

early conference wins. KC would

lose two out of their next three

games including two conference

losses to the Lamar State College-

Port Arthur Seahawks and the

Angelina College Roadrunners.

KC had a difficult time winning

with any consistency early in

conference play. They would win

one game and than lose two in a

row. At one point it seemed like

they wouldn’t recover, because

they just couldn’t capitalize when

they needed to most. KC would

beat non-conference foe Houston

Community College 93-50 before

eventually losing two straight

conference games at the hands

of the Blinn Community College

Buccaneers and San Jacinto

Community College.

KC entered their toughest part

of the conference schedule after

their loss to SJCC, and if they

were going to have any chance of

making a run for the post-season it

had to begin at that point. KC was

cool as the other side of the pillow

from that point on. They won six

out of their next seven games with

five of their wins combining for 13

points. KC’s only loss during that

stretch was against Trinity Valley

Community College who was in

first place in the conference. KC

went on to lose to Trinity Valley

68-60 in their next meeting before

they ran off with a five-game

winning streak, winning three of

those games on the road. KC won

those five games by a combined 29

points. The biggest game of their

conference was the last game of

the season at home against the

Navarro College Bulldogs who they

defeated earlier in the season 88-87

in overtime. If KC won this game

they would secure the second seed

in the Region 14 tournament and

they would have a much-deserved

first-round bye. Unfortunately,

KC was unable to defeat Navarro

and they had to settle for the sixth

seed. They lost 72-66 in a tightly

contested game. KC had been

good at winning down the stretch

all season long. It’s like they had

ice water running through their

veins, but this time the ice water

ran dry and they couldn’t secure

the victory.

The Rangers averaged 70 points

per game this season and they shot

46 percent from the field including

34 percent from the three-point line

and 70 percent from the free-throw

line for the entire regular season.

KC was ranked ninth in the nation

in rebounds ripping down 37 per

game. They were also 10th in the

nation in assists with 14 per game,

12th in the nation in steals with five

per game, and second in the nation

in blocks with six per game.

KC began their second season

Tuesday, March 3, in Jacksonville

when they faced off against 11th

seeded Coastal Bend College. KC

will look to keep their season alive

this week in hopes for a chance to

play in Hutchinson, Kansas at the

National Junior College Basketball

Tournament.

S POR T STHE FLARE

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015 5PAGE

Rangers caught in the undertow

Shaq Keith contests underneath the basket while going in for a layup.

Myron Chapman weaves through the Navarro defense.

Jaleel Wheeler attempts to draw a foul for a shot.

Jaleel Wheeler takes on defenders while charging in the paint.

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;PɈHU`�1VOUZVU����THE FLARE

;PɈHU`�1VOUZVU����THE FLARE

From Page 1

the Rangers, but only

managed to cash in 10

points. Jaleel Wheeler shot

3-10 from field including a

0-4 night from beyond the

arc, the team failed to make

any three’s in the second

half (0-8).

The ball just didn’t seem

to roll the Rangers way all

night, shooting a dismal 38

percent from the field as

a team. The Cougars shot

53 percent in the second

half giving them the edge

that pushed them over the

Rangers.

Michael Thomas was the

force inside for the Rangers

scoring nine points, pulling

down 13 rebounds, and

providing two blocks on

defense. However, the

Rangers did not have a

strong showing from their

other big men. Alassane

Kah and Bakari Copeland

combined for a 2-13 night

from the field. The two only

mustered out six points for

KC.

Keith had the answer to

almost all of the Rangers

problems, taking a strong

drive to the rim to cut the

Cougar lead to one with 3:34

left in the game. Keith added

two crucial free throws to

give the Rangers a 46-45 lead

with under two minutes.

Even though KC kept the

game close, the Cougars

sharp shooters proved to be

too much for the Rangers,

Stewart was a perfect 3-3

from deep. Johnston added

a huge three pointer to give

CBC a 50-47 lead with 1:29

left in the game.

KC was able to keep within

striking distance of the

Cougars after Copeland

scored his only field goal of

the game to cut the Cougar

lead to two with only 11

seconds left in the game. The

Cougars would put their free

throw shooters on the court

to answer the Rangers run.

CBC’s Rydealous Taylor

finished the Ranger’s off

shooting 6-6 from the charity

stripe in the final minutes.

RANGERS: Season comes to a close

S POR T STHE FLARE

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 20156PAGE

^^ �̂[OLÅHYLVUSPUL�JVT

Saturday, Friday and sometimes even Thursday nights don’t have to be spent shooting ping-pong

balls in red solo cups or waking up the next morning with an awful headache. College is more than just binge drinking, partying with the squad every weekend and eye-dilating headaches.

After a few weeks of really thinking about what else there is to do in these small East Texas towns, I’ve came up with a list of some fun, cheap and non-alcoholic ways to spend your weekends.Q�Go to the movies. This is often looked over because it’s so common; but find out what movies are showing. It will cost the same amount as a case of beer or a pack of Smirnoffs.Q�Check what your local city has going on. Try going to a fair, festival, play or musical. Spicing up the norm could be beneficial

in more ways than one. Places to look into include: The Van Cliburn Auditorium, ArtsView Children’s Theatre, East Texas Symphonic Band, The Longview Ballet Theatre, The Longview Community Theatre and The Longview Symphony Orchestra.Q�Go somewhere new. Have you ever been to the local coffee shop? Buy a drink, read a book, and possibly even meet some new people. Q�Laser tag. Get active! Laser tag is just one of the many things possible to do around here. It does fall a little more on the pricey side, but with a nice group of friends it would totally be

worthwhile. Air U, a trampoline park, is also an active way to spend one of your evenings.Q�Roll a new one, and go bowling. Another activity that is often forgotten and overlooked is bowling. It’s another great way to bond with friends without being intoxicated. There are bowling allies located in Kilgore, Longview and Tyler. Q�Stay inside. Make it a game night with some friends! Include board games, trivia games, lots of junk food and some awesome classic movies. There’s no shame in staying at home, and there’s always ways to have fun. Q�Try something new. There’s a lot of things to do around here that may just take a little more digging. Painting With a Twist in Longview is a great example. If you’re a fan of art, find a group of people and paint a beautiful picture. This not only will be great

for conversation and bonding, but you get to bring a beautiful picture home that was painted by you.Q Find music. East Texas may not have the most diverse music scene, but finding live music can open a whole new world. People play live music at coffee shops, or a concert may be coming up. Check it out. Q Go dancing. Dancing may be one of my favorite things to do. I know I may not be the best at it, but I enjoy myself and I don’t need to be intoxicated to do it. Graham Central Station in Longview always has many great Texas country artists performing there every month. This can run a bit more on the pricey side, but a night filled with two-stepping boots is well worth the money.Q Do homework. It’s OK. It’s the weekend. You have homework. What college student doesn’t? The

weekend is a great time to catch up on work that you get behind on during the week. In the end, you’ll be thanking yourself when Monday comes around and you have lots of rest and great grades.

Most of these easy and fun things to do are cheap and completely doable. Get out there and make something more of your weekends instead of wasting them away. Or literally, getting wasted.

Think about how much you spend on alcohol every weekend and what you are really getting out of it. There maybe a few friends, however, they are only friends you have at parties.

Going outside the box and doing different things opens a whole new world filled with friendships and memories that last.

Julianna Kendall is a sophomore

mass communication major from

Henderson.

Hardly partying over partying hard

OP I N I O NTHE FLARETHURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015 7PAGE

Recharge

Creative ways to make best of your Spring Break

Photo Illustration by Sara Holmes/ TH

E FLARE

THE FLARE is the student newspaper of Kilgore College and is published every Friday by the journalism department, except during examination periods and vacations. First copy is free, subsequent copies are available for 50 cents. THE FLARE is a member of the Texas Community College Journalism Association and the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association. (SS�WLVWSL�OVSKPUN�LKP[VYPHS�Z[HɈ�WVZP[PVUZ�HYL�2PSNVYL�*VSSLNL�QV\YUHSPZT�Z[\KLU[Z��

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THE FLARE welcomes any letter to the editor and encourages all readers to use this as a sounding board to express thoughts and opinions on current campus-related topics. We also welcome news or feature ideas. Due to space limitations, letters should be as concise as possible and may still be edited for space. Letters must be signed and include an address and telephone number so that we can verify their authenticity. Letters should be delivered to [OL�UL^ZYVVT�PU�*VTT\UPJH[PVUZ�(\[VTV[P]L�)\PSKPUN��9VVT������THPSLK�[V�;OL�-SHYL�������)YVHK^H �̀�2PSNVYL�;?�������VY�LTHPSLK�[V!�RJFÅHYL'`HOVV�JVT

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The FlareADVERTISING MANAGERDavid McCartyCARTOONIST+HUPLS�)YV^USTAFF WRITERS1VYKHU�)HRLY��,SPQHO�)HURZ��4H_�*LY]HU[LZ��1\SPHUUH�2LUKHSS��;OHV�5N\`LU�HUK�5PJR�:OLSSL`PHOTOGRAPHERS4PJOHLS�)YV^U��9HPU�*VOU��1LZZPJH�,HZSL �̀�,»3L_\Z�/VKNL��:HYH�/VSTLZ��;PɈHU`�1VOUZVU��1VU�5PL[V��;PUH�>HSSZ��2HLSPL�>PRL�HUK�4HYPH�AHWH[H

=63������56�����Q�Thursday, March 5, 2015 Copyright 2015, The Flare. All rights reserved.

EXECUTIVE EDITORKathryn AgeeMANAGING EDITORVictoria WhitwellFEATURES EDITOR3LHO�)Y`JLCOPY EDITORDustin TaylorOPINION EDITOR1VYKHU�)HPYK

SPORTS EDITOR+L]PU�)YVVRZASSISTANTSPORTS EDITORRichard NguyenDESIGN EDITOR;VY`�=HU�)SHYJ\TENTERTAINMENT EDITORHunter Lohr

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LAB MANAGERJamie Maldonado

PHOTO ADVISERO. Rufus Lovett

ADVISERRachel Stallard

Spring break is an essential and vital part of a college student’s life. It also has a reputation for being a time of extreme partying, drinking, and vacationing to expensive and

exotic locations. Nothing in popular culture exemplifies this

stereotype more than the 2013 movie “Spring Breakers.” The film satirically shows how this lust for excess during a student’s week of freedom in the spring semester can end up destroying students’ lives.

Although the movie’s dangerous situations are exaggerated, its satire is based in truth. Students shouldn’t throw a huge and vital chunk of their time away blacking out on the beach.

Spring break provides a great opportunity to lounge around the house, rest, eat junk food, and binge-watch Netflix. Taking a week off to not think about the daily stresses of college life can be a great refresher for people who regularly deal with a huge load of schoolwork.

Some students, however, may benefit from using the week to study and catch up on schoolwork. Having an extra week to work on projects or assignments due after spring break is highly beneficial. It can free up time for students to complete other assignments that can be turned in early. Some people can have trouble getting back into the swing of things and the routine of college life when they return after spring break. Getting work done ahead of time can relieve the worry of falling behind after spring break is over.

Students can use the free time to visit and spend time with far away family or friends. Having a week to spend with people who they hardly get to see can provide some much-earned comfort from constant

studying. Some students may return from living on campus to their hometown to see friends they haven’t seen since winter break. Seeing old friends and making new memories can be a great personal experience to break up the spring semester.

Taking a mission trip or volunteering in the community are some other things students can do on their spring break. Projects Abroad’s Alternative Spring Break Trips volunteers are brought together by the work on service projects in Costa Rica, Ghana, Jamaica, Mexico and Morocco. Experience Mission provides one and two week long Christian mission trips. Local homeless shelters and food banks always need volunteer help, all year round.

Having a week off from school can be a huge benefit to student’s lives, but only if they take the opportunity to do something that will help themselves in the long run. Resting, visiting family and friends, and helping with the community are all great options that can be emotionally rewarding.

Getting drunk, partying, and blowing student loan or income tax return money can have serious and horrible long term consequences. Students should use the time allotted them during spring break wisely and efficiently. No student wants to wake up broke, hungover, in a jail thousands of miles away from home… though inevitably, it will happen to those who believe partying hard is the only way to properly celebrate spring break. Our generation then, instead of changing the stereotype, becomes a parody of themselves, thousands of people crowding on the beach with as little clothing on as possible, drinking, sloppily repeating the most famous line from a film intended to make fun of their lifestyle: “Spring break…spring break…spring break forever.”

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Simone WeaverFort Worth Sophomore

William StarnesLongview Freshman

Sarah HendersonLongview Freshman

Ay BerrySan Augustine Sophomore

“You can rest MYVT�^LLRZ�VM�^VYR��JHU�NV�[V�H�^VUKLYM\S�vacation spot and have fun.”

“Because school is out and I get a vacation.”

“I am able to spend time with my friends and family.”

“I can sleep more.”

YOUR VIEW >O`�PZ�:WYPUN�)YLHR�PTWVY[HU[&

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Math, Sciences and Health Sciences

Dean

How did you feel respect toward

you has changed during your

career?

When I came to KC in 1991, there were very few African-American instructors on campus. I began working here with an Associate Degree from KC while enrolled in LeTourneau University’s bachelor degree program in business administration. At that time, I was an instructor and it was difficult. My immediate boss tried to get me fired because I had ideas and I could think. I went through two years of proving myself. At the time, my dean was Beryl McKinnery and the human resources director was Karol Pruett. Ms. Pruett and Dr. McKinnery did an investigation with the students to see if what my boss was saying was true. After two years, Dr. McKinnery switched roles, making me the program director and the other person an instructor. I was probably the first African-American program director KC has ever had. In my first meeting as a program director, the vice president at the time, referring to me, asked, “What is she doing here?” Dr. (Frank) Thornton, the president, politely shushed her. Kilgore College overall has been really good to me. I was program director for 12 years and then I became dean. I received my bachelor’s degree in 1992, and my master’s in 1998. My colleagues asked me to apply for dean, and I laughed, thinking, “Yeah, alright,” but I became dean in 2003. I have even had to prove myself as dean, but that’s OK. I know who I am and Whose I am. I have been made stronger, and as of this time, I have worked for the best administration I could work for. The 60 or so employees that I have are wonderful. Of those employees, I have two full-time African-American employees: Leon Wooten and Wendy Brown. All in all, I’ve found that people are people. As Martin Luther King, Jr. would say, “We are judged by the content of our character and not by the color of our skin.” I don’t think my colleagues see me as “African-American” or “black.” I think they just see me as “Louise” now. How do you feel racial integration has

changed college life, when you attended

school versus today?

When I attended Kilgore College, we didn’t have hip-hop or short cheerleader dresses. Integration has changed college life. For years, we had a very prim and proper school. When the student demographics changed, we ended up with hip-hop at the pep rallies. How did you see people around you

react as racial tolerance became more

accepted?

I attend many state meetings and people from larger school districts are always amazed that “little Kilgore College” has a black dean of math, science and health sciences. I guess I really don’t think of it that

Come togetherright now

Setting a new standard for the American norm

E’Lexus Hodge / THE FLARE

F E AT U R ETHE FLARE

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 20158PAGE

Women’s Bastketball

Assistant Coach

When did you start working at

KC?

August 2012How did you feel respect towards you

has changed during your career?

I don’t know. I don’t notice.How do you feel racial integration has

changed college life, when you attended

school versus today?

I haven’t experienced that. It’s the same from when I was in college in 2005 to now. How did you see people around you

react as racial tolerance became more

accepted?

If there was racial discrimination, it was behind my back and not to my face. I have never faced racial discrimination. I’m only 28. How do you feel when you see students

being a strong community regardless of

race?

It’s good. I can’t say differently because that’s what I know. It’s normal. What opportunities have you had in life

that your parents or grandparents did

not?

Receiving a full scholarship playing sports. What opportunities will students today

and in the future have that you might not

have had?

In America today, our society has accepted stereotypes concerning different races and things involving our

generation, and has adopted as the norm. Is it normal for people to believe that most children had to experience the affects of a divorce, or the majority of African American children had to be raised by a single parent? Isn’t it normal to believe that all athletes are dumb jocks, and get by because of their athletic talent? Isn’t it even normal to see most teenagers today, having children before graduating out of high school? This is what is being shown on movies and TV shows,

and this is what our society has began to accept due to repeated affairs. I for one do not stand for any of that; it’s time to squash those stereotypes.I am blessed to say, that i have two parents that are very supportive of me and my three siblings, and they have been happily married for 24 years. Because my father did not meet his dad until he was 25,and saw how hard it was for my grandma to raise him and his

siblings by herself, he made it a priority to always be there for all his children and his wife.Both of my parents made sure to keep my siblings and I active, so at the age of four,they introduced me to the game of football. I instantly fell in love with the sport, but from the very beginning my mom let me know that “God & my studies came first” and that “there were no such thing as a dumb football player running around on the field,” so from an early age i had to learn to prioritize.From the first time I ever laced up my cleats, my parents made sure that the Banks family attended almost every one of my games. My

mom has always been my #1 fan, and also my biggest critique when she felt I could have performed better. But Seeing, and hearing them cheer in the stands made me play even harder, because I always loved making them proud. I still remember when my dad was working long hours at Fedex my senior year, he wasn’t able to come to my games like he was usually did , so he ended up quitting and getting a new job that wouldn't infer with my games. I never complained when he wasn’t able to come to my games, or asked him to get a new job; that was just one of his ways of showing me how important I was to him. And

this is just an example of what both of my parents installed into, my siblings and I as kids; “we are a team, and everything we do, we are going to do it as one unit.” I plan on keeping those same values, whenever I get married and start my own family.I currently play football for the KC Rangers, and enjoy being apart of the Flare news staff. I know I'm not the only one; I'm sure there’s other out there ready to set a new standard for the norm.

Elijah Banks is a freshman mass communications major from Mesquite.

Visitor Center Manager

How do you feel racial integration

has changed college life, when you

attended school versus today?

I attended college back in 1976 and although everybody was friendly with each other, you stayed within your race. Today, almost 40 years later, I find the culture to be totally different — accepting people for who they are regardless of their race. Time has certainly brought about a change for the better.How did you see people around you react

as racial tolerance became more accepted? The change was gradual and we didn’t have social media like today, but during the time I grew up, television and music played an essential role in the acceptance.How do you feel when you see students

being a strong community regardless of

race?

I think it's great to see different races, and cultures come together to work on common interests.What opportunities have you had in life

that your parents or grandparents did

not? My parents were born in the mid-1920s and although both have passed, I was blessed to be loved and nurtured by them. Because of the time and other factors, they didn’t have many opportunities, but they wanted us (my siblings an me) to have the chance to excel in

what they couldn’t.What message do you have for students

about acceptance and the future of

society?

Be yourself and love and accept who you are. You do not have to accept how others define you. We are human beings, and we are not perfect but a continuous work in progress. Always think about the choices you make and choose your friends wisely.

ELIJAH BANKS

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LOUISE WILEY

ELOISE ASHLEY KETURAH SPOTWOOD

JOYCE FORTSON-JOHNSON

way anymore. I’m just me and I do the best I can. It’s not about me; it’s about the students. I want students to have a quality education and leave here better than they came. How do you feel when you see students

being a strong community regardless of

race?

I think that’s fantastic. You see a lot of that around the college today. What opportunities have you had in life

that your parents or grandparents did

not?

As for my immediate family, I was a first-generation college student. I went to college fairly late in life. I was about 28 years old. My parents and grandparents did not have that opportunity to go to school, but they always would encourage us to get an education. What opportunities will students today

and in the future have that you might not

have had?

I think if anybody wants an education, then they have an opportunity to get an education. Education opportunities are available for all. There are no excuses. What message do you have for students

about acceptance and the future of

society?

I would tell every student here at Kilgore College that they do need an education, so they can be people who give back to the community. It’s good for them to try to be positive people that give back to society — work, pay taxes, and are the people who God made them to be. We have to remember a lot of times that we become selfish. It’s really not about us, it’s not about me; it’s about the students at Kilgore College. I want to be a part of enhancing their education and even helping them with problems in society. I am who I am by the grace of God, and I am very thankful.

Grants Development Specialist

Papers upon papers lie on her desk. However, before Dr. Joyce Fortson-Johnson takes time to find what

could hopefully be the next grant KC might receive, she glances to her book shelf and reflects on memories of the newspaper photo sitting in her picture frame.

Fortson-Johnson, Grants Development Specialist, can't help but smile at the memory of being the first African-Amer-ican to win 1st Runner-up to Miss East Texas State University and Miss Congeni-ality in 1972.

“I was the first black cheerleader, foot-ball sweetheart and a part of the honor-ee society,” she said. “I think with each year I was able to prove myself of my capablities and people began seeing I had the knowledge and know-how to gain re-spect.”

Fortson-Johnson graduated from Sabine in 1970, the first year Sabine allowed ra-cial integration.

“I grew up attending a predominantly black school,” Fortson-Johnson said. “Ra-cial integration has allowed changes for the better. However, I believe some things did not carry on. The black instructors would treat you as their own child, but people became more uncomfortable with that because it dealt with personal issues.”

“People were accepting of integrating, but some were not, which is natural when you're raised a certain way,” she said. “I saw a change in people, but I believe until you are put in an environment to make interactions with people, you shouldn't make judgments.”

Compared to 45 years ago, Fortson-John-son believe students are allowed a lot more opportunities than she was.

“Students have more options to make better decisions on how they want to live their lives,” she said. “When I was grow-ing up, (our choices were) a teacher or lawyer, but now there are more technolo-gy-related fields, the health field and en-gineering.”

“Students now have more programs in place than we did. The opportunities are endless if a student is committed and ded-icated enough,” she said.

After graduating high school, Fortson-Johnson received a bachelor’s degree

from Texas A&M-Commerce at the age of 19, but it was conferred at The University of North Texas. She began teaching col-lege at the age of 21.

“I remember my first job out of col-lege; I was walking down the hallway and a teacher asked me for a hall pass,” she said. “I stormed right to the principal’s office and told him ‘Everyone needs to know who I am. I am not a student. I am a teacher.’”

Her niece attended school in Sabine, and she pointed out that due to the low minority population, the majority of her friends are Caucasian.

“It puts the perspective on who people really are instead of the color of their skin,” Fortson-Johnson said. “I think that students and all people should be willing to accept people for who they are, regard-less of where they come from or their backgrounds.”

Fortson-Johnson has been a teacher, a business owner, an IBM marketing manager, and the first marketing rep for 1-800-FLOWERS. Now she applies for the college's grants.

“In terms of race relations the writing is on the wall. Eventually we will become a melting pot and will see a blending of cultures” she said. “Students are growing up with a better sense of accepting one another.”

I just finished college four years ago, so I don’t know if opportunities are very different. Students probably have the same opportunities I did since I’m not much older.

Diversity lives on the KC campus, where a number of important leadership positions are filled with people who once would not have been able to even dream of working

here. Four women who could not hold their jobs until the arrival of the Civil Rights movement share their thoughts below.

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