housatonic horizons october 2011

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.



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Irenes Damage

This picture depicts an old tree uprooted during Hurricane Irene.


This photo shows how one man prepared for Irene by boarding up building.


This local store was raided by customers who left shelves empty.


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.



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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.


8/20

8

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

Like Horizons on Facebook and Follow Us on Twitter!

Visit the Housatonic Horizons Facebook fan page to read the latest

paper, and to send us links, comments, and suggestions.

Follow us on Twitter at @HCCHorizons, and search the hashtag

#hoccnews to learn about campus news as our reporters discover it!


9/20


10/20

10

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


11/20


12/20

12

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.


13/20

13

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


14/20


15/20

15

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

Security Guards are often recognized based on their

elite badges.

Photo courtesy of americawearcom/Badgeshtml


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18

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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


19/20

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

housatonic horizons october 2011

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