ENTERTAINMENT: Green bean casserole is a hit during the holidays, pg. 4

SPORTS: Hiking trip was a memorable experience, pg. 5

BACKPAGE: The country Turkey features plenty of history, pg. 8

S SPECTATORThe

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Gretchen Foster sits at her desk at WNCC. She does every-thing she can to help her students reach their full potential.

Nov. 24, 2012 Volume 59, Issue 5

A Season to Remember

WNCC’s Foster creating community ties

BY HEIDI HANCOCKSpectator Reporter

Th e WNCC volleyball team ended its season with a runner-up fi nish Nov. 15-17 in the NJCAA National Tournament in West Plains, Mo. And while the Cougars didn’t come home with what they really wanted – a fi rst-place fi nish – they did perform remarkably well at nationals and ended the year with an impressive 40-3 record. WNCC sophomore Taylor VanderWerff said, “Overall, I think the season went really well. We have improved so much and have come together to play really well.” Th e Cougars connected well with one another both on and off the court, and that had a lot to do with the team’s success, VanderWerff said. “Th e chemistry on the team is so strong,” VanderWerff said. “We all love each other so much, and I think that is really what kept us together and pushed us to improve throughout the season.” She added, “We were playing for each other

and not just for our own individual glory.” Th e Cougar women gave their best eff ort in every game they played this year, including at na-tionals.  Aft er rolling past Wallace State-Hanceville (Ala.) in the national tournament opener Th ursday morning (25-19, 25-19, 25-11), WNCC downed North Idaho College in the second round Th ursday evening (26-24, 23-25, 25-16, 25-21). WNCC then defeated Iowa Western Community College in the semifi nals on Friday (34-32, 20-25, 25-19, 25-18). In the title match Saturday night, the Cougars contin-ued to play with lots of determination, but it wasn’t enough as the College of Southern Idaho prevailed in three games (25-20, 25-20, 25-21). “Our strongest point was probably the two games before the fi nals. I think that was really our two best games that we played all season,” Vander-Werff said. “Our energy was so high. We were just unstoppable.” Th e wins against North Idaho and Iowa West-ern avenged the only losses the Cougars suff ered

Cougar volleyball team end season with 40-3 record,runner-up finish at the national tourney

WNCC’s volley-

ball team receives the

runner-up trophy

aft er falling to CSI on Saturday

during the champi-

onship match of

the NJCAA National Tourna-ment at

West Plains, Mo.

COVER STORY

See Volleyball, page 3

BY ALEXANDRIA MOREESpectator Reporter

A smiling, bubbly Gretchen Foster quickly mentioned Buff alo, Brooklyn, Long Island, and Tampa as a few of the cities that she once called home. Moving to any new city presents challenges and forces people to not only step outside of their comfort zone but also create an entirely new one. Foster, the admissions director at Western Nebraska Com-munity College, has spent the last year building and developing a niche for herself and her husband, Cory, in the small town of Scottsbluff .

See Foster, page 3

Spectator Photo

Henry Herrera, who is from Ecua-dor, wants to learn as much as he can at WNCC to help him “change the youth of my country for the better.”

BY ABNER PAZANOSpectator Reporter

For WNCC international stu-dent Henry Herrera, coming into a new country to study hasn’t been easy for him; however, he enjoys learning about the culture and meeting new people here, and he wants to use what he’s learned in America when he goes back to Quito, Ecuador. Q: How long have you been living here? A: Four months.  Q: Are you a native English speaker? What other languages do you speak? A: No, Spanish is my fi rst language, and English is my second one.  Q: How diff erent is life here com-pared to Quito?A: One thing that is diff erent is the means of transportation. In my country, we have a lot of public transportation to get to places. You could get a taxi or a bus. You don’t really need to have a car to move around the city. Another big diff er-ence is the weather. Th e temperature stays the same [in Quito] through-out the year. It is not windy like here in Nebraska, and we do not have tornadoes. Th e people here are real-ly nice; they are always helping you and [encouraging] you to move for-ward. A huge diff erence is the size of the city. Quito is a big city. It will take you about an hour or an hour and a half to cross from one side of the city to the other one. Down there in Quito we have a good deal of attractions and places the tourists can go visit, such as the historic cen-ter that was formed by the Spanish colony. Also, people can go visit the “mitad del mundo” (middle of the world city). Th is is the city that lies on the equator.  

Student SPOTLIGHT: Henry Herrera

See Henry, page 2

BY JOY ANITEYESpectator Reporter

Th e National Society of Leadership and Success, Sig-ma Alpha Pi, is now part of WNCC’s campus organizations. Th e NSLS, which is on

more than 300 campuses in the United States, was brought to WNCC by Vice President of Student Services Sue Yowel. “Th e organization was set up to give students an outlet to leadership,” said Mario Chavez, advisor of the NSLS at WNCC. “We really want to hone in with leadership, and we didn’t have a group that was specifi cally fo-cused on leadership. Bringing this in will help students fulfi ll their goals.”

Th e NSLS diff erentiates itself from other societies on campus in that there is a great focus on leadership rather than on students’ grade-point aver-ages. “Our philosophy is that we can’t put a GPA on leader-ship” Chavez said. “Leadership is something that everybody is born with. GPA, success, and things like that will follow lead-ership.” Th e National Society of

Leadership and Success’ main aim is to promote leadership among WNCC students; it strives to help students develop ideas and set goals so they can contribute on the college cam-pus as well as experience more success in their careers. Because of the absence of an executive board in the National Society of Leadership and Suc-cess’ fi rst year at WNCC, the

WNCC promoting strong leadership skills

See NHS, page 2

Photo by Alexandria Moree/Spectator

Western Nebraska Community College

College admissions director makes smooth transition to working, living

in the Nebraska Panhandle

New honor society offers students guidance

for future success

Courtesy Photo

Luiza Martins passes the ball during WNCC’s match against North Idaho at the national tournament.

Spectator Photo

thetheSpectatorpectatorWestern NebraskaWestern Nebraska

Community CollegeCommunity College

Letter to the Editor PolicyLetter to the Editor Policy

thethespectator encourages reader input about the spectator encourages reader input about the articles it publishes. Any reader may submit a letter articles it publishes. Any reader may submit a letter to the editor. All letters to the editor submissions to the editor. All letters to the editor submissions must include the author’s name and hometown. must include the author’s name and hometown.

Phone numbers must also be included for verifi ca-Phone numbers must also be included for verifi ca-tion purposes. Letters and columns may be edited tion purposes. Letters and columns may be edited for space limitations, style, grammar and libelous for space limitations, style, grammar and libelous

content. Th e letters must contain around 50 words content. Th e letters must contain around 50 words and be typed. Letters can be sent or e-mailed toand be typed. Letters can be sent or e-mailed to

spectator@wncc.net.spectator@wncc.net.Th e opinions in Th e opinions in thethespectator are those of the spectator are those of the

newspaper staff and do not refl ect the opinion or newspaper staff and do not refl ect the opinion or scrutiny of WNCC, the administration, board of scrutiny of WNCC, the administration, board of governors, staff or student government. Unsigned governors, staff or student government. Unsigned

editorials refl ect the opinions of the editorial board. editorials refl ect the opinions of the editorial board. Signed columns refl ect the opinion of the author.Signed columns refl ect the opinion of the author.

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

WNCCWNCC1601 E. 27th street1601 E. 27th street

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

Email: spectator@wncc.edu Email: spectator@wncc.edu

Top

TopCAT

Students

Major: General studies

Honors/awards/activities: Na-tional Society of Leadership and Success; Sigma Pi member; RA; church choir at First United

Methodist Church; collegiate choir; varsity vocalize; Quintessence

Favorite band/singer: Dave Mathews band

Favorite movie: “Ratatouille”

Favorite TV show: “Adventure Time”

Who is your role model?: “My mom because she has had the most infl u-ence in me being the person I am to-day.”

If you were a super hero, what power would you like to have?: “Fly”

What’s the craziest or hardest thing you have ever done?: “Working three jobs at the same time and [in] diff er-ent towns.”

If you had one piece of advice to share with everyone, what would it be?: “Forgive and forget.”

By Abner Pizano, Spectator Reporter

2012-13 Staff Members2012-13 Staff Members

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

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

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

Mark Rein, ProductionMark Rein, Production

Jeff Fielder, AdvisorJeff Fielder, Advisor

Nov. 24, 2012 — Page 2NNewsews

Scout WilsonScottsbluff, Neb.

Simonne SpurgeonScottsbluff, Neb.

Continued from page 1

NHS

Major: Biology 

Honors/awards/activities: Out-standing Student of the Year in sci-ence; National Honor Society; PTK; vice presi-dent of the Math and Science

Club; research experience for under-graduate program; internship at Dela-ware State University, sponsored by the National Science Foundation. “I focused on molecular biology. It was nine weeks long. I learned about the researching process, and at the end we presented our own project and poster at a fi nal symposium. [Also], I worked at the UNL Panhandle Research and Extension Center for three years with the dry bean-breeding department. In addition, I also educated the public about the research.” Favorite band/singer: Th e Grateful Dead; Pink Floyd Favorite quotes: “Dream the impos-sible dream” by Terence McKenna.  Favorite TV show: “Once Upon a Time” Who is your role model?: “I’m my own role model because I put a lot of pressure on myself to do what I want to. I believe it is my responsibility to take my education on my own hands, but is just self determination that leads you one way or the other. I mo-tivate myself to achieve the goals that I want.”

By Abner Pizano, Spectator Reporter

college administration was able to set its own criteria for selecting students. A large number of students was given the opportunity to join the society, and 135 students accepted their invitations this year. These students are “pending” mem-bers who will undergo a four-step process to induction. “We did invite a large number of stu-dents, but there is some work that goes along with being in the national honor society. They have to complete the steps and be in good academic standing when they complete the program,” Chavez said. Two orientation meetings, which is the fi rst step to induction, have already been held at WNCC. Students then had to par-

ticipate in a three-hour Leadership Train-ing Day, which was scheduled for Nov. 18. Students are also required to attend events led by well-known speakers from across the nation. Th ree of the six speaking events are mandatory; however, students are encour-aged to attend all of the speaking events that are held throughout the school year. Th e motivational speeches are broadcast live online exclusively for society members, who sometimes have an opportunity to send in questions to the speaker. A glance at the offi cial webpage of the society shows that speakers from various fi elds, such as a TV celebrity or a sociolo-gist, are chosen to lead these events. Th e fi rst speaker of the fall semester at WNCC was Vernice Armour, the fi rst African American female pilot of the United States Air Force. “She was great — very inspirational,” Chavez said.

Th e fourth and fi nal step to induction is the key to leadership skill development, Chavez said. Students engage in three Suc-cess Networking Team Meetings with their peers to work on certain projects. Chavez, along with co-advisor Molly Bonuchi, grade these projects, and the grades determine which students earn induction. “Once they’re inducted, they are life-long members of the National Honor Soci-ety for Leadership and Success and certifi ed leaders. Th ey are then able to use that for re-sume building, scholarship applications — whatever they decide to use their leadership training for,” Chavez said. “Along with that, they will also be recognized at graduation.” NSLS members benefi t in many ways, such as having access to an exclusive job bank, a scholarship program, personalized letters of recommendation, and personal success coaching.

BY JOHN BAHRSpectator Reporter

With Facebook approaching 1 billion people, WNCC students accessing the web-site are as common as wheat fi elds in the Panhandle of Nebraska. One of the main reasons students sign up for Facebook is to keep in contact with friends and family. Jennifer Cook, a WNCC nursing stu-dent, said, “I signed up on Facebook about four years ago to keep in touch with my family. I like putting pictures of my family on my Facebook page and reading the com-ments people leave.” Facebook users can communicate on the website in a variety of ways. Th ey can

type messages into a text box called instant messaging, or they can download a program that allows them to talk via video chat. If a person isn’t “online” to chat, a message will be sent to one’s inbox, resembling email. For something as simple as wishing someone a happy birthday, a Facebook user might post a greeting on his or her friend’s wall. Allison Kalb, another WNCC student, said she’s been a Facebook user for four years. She originally signed up to keep in contact with family members overseas, but now uses the website for other reasons, too. With the popularity of smart phones continuing to increase, many people have access to Facebook wherever they go. Th is is an advantage for those who want to upload photos and create wall posts quickly.  Tiff any Stettner, a WNCC nursing stu-dent, also uses Facebook to keep in touch with her friends and family. Using her cell phone, she said she usually is on Facebook about fi ve or six hours a day. She likes being able to express herself by posting pictures and her thoughts at any time. According to Business Insider.com, Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook in 2004 while he was attending Harvard. Th e website was originally called “thefacebook.com” and was an instant hit. Since then,

Facebook has connected millions of family members, classmates, friends, and others. All it takes to get started on Facebook is an e-mail address and a password. Once an account is set up, users can start typ-ing people’s names into the search engine. When users fi nd a person they want to add, they just click the “add friend” button. In addition, when a person sets up a Facebook page, he or she can add WNCC to the work and education category on the “about me” page. Th is allows viewers to see that the person went to WNCC. It also allows WNCC students to contact each other easier. For example, Facebook makes it easy for WNCC students to communicate with one another about homework or class projects. If students have a question about an assign-ment, all they have to do is send a quick mes-sage to one of their Facebook friend’s inbox. While Facebook can be quite useful for a variety of reasons, many people have found that using Facebook can take up a lot of their time. “I started to think about how much I was on Facebook, and I think it might be a little too much,” Cook said. Kalb, meanwhile, tries to limit her time on the website, allowing for up to a half hour each day.

HenryContinued from page 1

Q: What was the best part about moving here?A: Th e best part about moving here to Ne-braska is that I have a great opportunity to study and progress. Also, getting to know new people and getting to know the Ameri-can culture has been the best thing about moving here.

Q: Was there anything that you didn’t like about moving here?A: Th e worst thing about being here is that I miss my family. Culture shock is also one of the worst things because I came from a to-tally diff erent place. Also, I miss the nature that Ecuador has.

Q: What has impressed you the most about the USA?A: One thing that has impressed me the most is how organized people are, and how people obey the law and do what the government says. In Ecuador, we have good laws, but the people do not respect them; they do whatever they want. People here in the U.S. are raised in a positive way.

Q: What is your favorite American dish?A: Th e sandwich with buff alo meat that I ate when I visited South Dakota. Th at’s the best American dish that I have had so far.

Q: What is the strangest/funniest experi-ence you’ve had here?A:  I had a scary experience. One day I was walking by the Monument, and it was kind of windy. All the sudden, all this dust covers the whole place, so I ran as fast as I could to get to the house and hide myself in the basement. I was really scared because those things do not happen in Ecuador. I thought we were going to have a tornado.

Q: If you could tell Americans one thing about your culture, what would it be?A: I would tell them that our way to greet people is diff erent. When you meet some-body for the fi rst time, you give that other person a hug and a kiss on the cheek. An-other thing is that in the month of Febru-ary we have a carnival in which you can play with fruits, water, and fl owers. You can chase another person to get them wet. We also have native dances.

Q: How is school diff erent in your home country? A: Th ere is a big diff erence because you have to choose your career [in] your fourth year of college, and here they prepare you the fi rst two years, so you will have an idea of what you like and what you want to be. Here, they teach you all the basics, and there are a lot of resources that you can use for help, so you won’t fail your classes. We don’t have that in Ecuador.

Q: What are your hobbies?A: In my free time I like to go to church, get together with my friends, and drink coff ee. We talk about my country and their country (USA). I like to go on bike rides or go out for a run.

Q: What are your plans for the future?A:  My plans are to graduate from college and go back to Ecuador to work as a teacher so I can change the youth of my country for the better.

Facebook helps WNCC students stayconnected with friends, family

WNCC studentscan use Facebook to

communicate with one another about class

projects or homework

Photo by Abner Pizano/Spectator

You

rY

ou

r

VoiceOne question,many answers!

“If I could trade places with anyone in the world, I would trade with my grandpa. He taught me a lot of stuff while he was alive, and I really look up

to him and miss him a lot. He was my role model growing up. I wanted to be just like him.”

— Hailee Mecham,Spanish Fork, Utah

“Johnny Bench because he was the greatest baseball catcher that ever lived.”

— Osvaldo Gonzalez,

Miami, Fla.

“Yahosh [Bonner] so I could drag Mal-lacai around because he is a very cute baby.”

— Donny Vonny,

Lingle, Wyo.

“Tim Tebow so I can be great and win a Super Bowl.”

— Weston Louth,Lingle,

Wyo.

“TravisPatrana be-cause he gets to have fun for a living”

— Chance Giles,

Halsey, Neb.

“Yahosh, just because.”

— Landon Bowman,Alliance,

Neb.

If you could trade places with

anyone in the world, whom would it be?

Why?

Continued from page 1

Nov. 24, 2012 — Page 3NNewsews

Foster

CommentaryBy Johnny ‘Krr’ej’ Escamilla

— Compiled by Danielle Hearn

“I would trade places with Gritt Ryder because she’s been around the world, and she’s so awesome. And also

because I’m her number one fan.”

— Jessica Aratani,Morrill, Neb.

VolleyballContinued from page 1

all season. Both those losses came in the fi rst weekend of the season. In the championship game, the Cougars lost to a red-hot South-ern Idaho team, which WNCC beat back on Aug. 31. CSI fi nished the season at 33-1 with its only de-feat coming to WNCC. Two WNCC players made the NJCAA all-tournament team in Dan-ika Youngblood and Luiza Martins. Although WNCC will gradu-ate some key players off this year’s team, VanderWerff said next year’s group can continue the Cougars’ tradition of success – as long as they keep working hard. “Th e advice I would give to the incoming freshmen would be to play with everything you’ve got at all times,” she said. “Th is is a once-in-a lifetime opportunity for some of them, and everything it takes to be able to get to nationals is worth it.” VanderWerff said she’ll never forget her experience as a WNCC volleyball player. “To be able to say that I was a part of one of the best programs and teams in the country is not something to be taken for grant-ed,” she said.

Moving to the Panhandle of Nebraska just over a year ago, Fos-ter, originally from New York, said that “the very fi rst thing I did was go to the library and get a library card.” “I went [to the library] almost every day and developed a rela-tionship with the librarians; they were the fi rst people I really knew here,” she said. Library card in hand, Foster wasted no time diving head fi rst into the social scene that Scotts-bluff has to off er. Now a board member of the Community Ac-tion Partnership of Western Ne-braska Foundation, Foster has made and continues to make it a priority to be involved in the com-munity. “I fi rmly believe that each per-son has a responsibility to contrib-ute to the community in some way to give something back,” she said. Foster continued adding to her re-sume of community involvement by joining the Kiwanis Club. “Darla Heggem and Dave Kholer invited me to join the Scottsbluff Noon Kiwanis Chap-ter,” she said. Both involved with WNCC, Kohler and Heggem helped Fos-ter add yet another social group to her ever growing circle of friends in Scottsbluff . “Th e faculty here [at WNCC] really embraced me and made me feel welcome,” Foster said of her coworkers.  Foster is also very involved in the WNCC community as co-ad-visor for the Circle K student or-ganization and a dorm parent to a volleyball player. Counting to fi ve and briefl y pausing, Foster added, “I also play the hand bells at

the Presbyterian Church. I know I have six activities.” With all of these activities in her arsenal, she said her transition to such a small community has not been too overwhelming. “Th ere’s not much traffi c to deal with,” Foster said happily when asked about some of the pros of living in a smaller commu-nity. Additionally, Foster said peo-ple in Scottsbluff have been in-credibly friendly and welcoming to her and her husband. On the other side of the coin, Foster did

admit that the train horn blaring through town in the wee hours of the morning took some getting used to, as did incessant wind that is ever present in western Nebras-ka. WNCC marks the fi rst com-munity college that Foster has worked at, and she didn’t hesitate to say “I absolutely love it” when asked how she liked working at a smaller venue. “Th ere is wonderful interde-partmental collaboration here, and the goal and focus is all about the students,” Foster said about a

few things that have impressed her about WNCC. As a newer employee at WNCC, Foster has brought with her a breath of fresh air, most no-ticeably displayed on the white board above her desk in three simple sentences: What is our pur-pose? What problem are we trying to solve? What are we trying to ac-complish? “I learned that from a CEO in Tampa when I was working in corporate America,” explained Foster. “I ask myself those ques-tions in everything I do.”

‘A Christmas Carol’

Upcoming Events

Like it or not, Barack Obama was reelected as President of the United States. And like it or not, Mitt Romney lost the election. So how do students walking the hallways at WNCC feel about it? More young people (that’s us!) voted in the last two elections than they had in a long time, which puts this question even more on the spot: What were stu-dents’ feelings coming out of the elec-tion? Also, what do young people say about what’s motivating them to vote, and what’s compelling young people to vote in the way they are? I recently asked a number of stu-dents for their thoughts about the election, and surprisingly, their reac-tions were split—not in two ways, but in three. (To encourage more students to voice their opinions to me, I told the students that they didn’t have to give me their names). Of course, some people were jubilant about how this year’s election turned out while others were disturbed – and a greater third were apathetic, indiff erent or even cynical about the whole thing. “I really have no feelings toward the election. I’m not mad about any-thing or against anything. Just what-ever, I guess,” one student said. “I wasn’t happy with the election. I think they’re both horrible candi-dates,” another student said. Here was another student re-

sponse: “I think the country probably chose the lesser of the two evils. Glad the election is over. I’m not sure if I’m really comfortable with either one of them being our president.” Some students said they were too busy with college life to form enough of an opinion about the candidates to feel comfortable voting. But then one of those students brought up what’s greatly characterized the election: di-vision. “… I feel that people should lighten up. It’s gotten really, really … violent … and hectic, and I mean … [just] everyone’s opinions … It’s hor-rible … and I prefer not to talk about it [because of that].”Some students, on the other hand, were refreshingly full of energy and motivated by Obama’s human mes-sage. “I think that he focuses on people’s rights. I mean, budgeting and money is important, but I think people come fi rst. So, that’s kind of what’s impor-tant to me. I like to see a lot more fo-cus on ‘the person’ and not necessarily ‘the profi t.’ I voted for him because he spoke true to my beliefs – like looking at Romney and his view on women …

really went against how I feel.” Here was another comment: “Per-sonally, I love what happened with the election. I feel that another four years is probably a good thing to see how he’ll [really] do in offi ce. I know a lot of people are kind of upset because everything hasn’t gone the way he said it was going to go. But it takes four [more] years aft er a president’s [fi rst] term to see how [he’ll really do].” Meanwhile, some disturbed stu-dents feel like it’s going to be nothing but downhill from here. One concerned student said, “Pretty disappointed, pretty worried, especially [considering] all the [voter fraud] and how much money Presi-dent Obama wants to spend. It doesn’t look like we’re going to go anywhere, especially not out of this economic hole that we were already in in the fi rst place … What bothers me the most is his allowance of illegal immigrants to get status in the country. Everybody had to come over legally … [and] ev-erybody’s getting benefi ts they don’t need. I hate to see this country go down like it is, and I really think the next four years are going to be tougher than the previous four, and until we get somebody else in there, I feel that this country is going to go nowhere but down. I served this country and the people who are in it, but I didn’t serve it for Obama.”

Students express their feelings about election

Free and open to the public. The play is WNCC’s Christmas gift to the com-munity. There will also be school performances on Dec. 6 and Dec. 7, and there will be a performance in Al-liance on Dec. 15.

Friday, Dec. 7, & Sat., Dec. 8 — 7 p.m. @ Midwest Th eater

Sunday, Dec. 9— 2 p.m. @ Midwest Th eater

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

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

3. How many dimples are in a golf ball? 4. Who invented scis-sors?

5. What was the fi rst U.S. CD ever pressed?

6. What is the color of lobster blood?

7. What is a group of toads called?

8. How many muscles does a cat’s ear have?

9. Who had the lon-gest known case of hiccups?

10.What is the only insect that can turn its head 360 degrees?  Source: www.triviachamp.com/Weird-Trivia.-Facts.php

Answers: 1. Muhammad; 2. Re-frigerators; 3. 336 4. Leonardo da Vinci; 5. Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA”; 6. Blue; 7. Knot; 8. 32; 9. Charles Osborne’s 69 years; 10. Praying Mantis

Nov. 24, 2012 — Page 4EEntertainmentntertainment

When I saw the previews for “Pitch Perfect,” I immediately knew that I

had to see this movie. Fortunately, the trailers didn’t ruin the comedy by giv-ing away the best scenes. The movie just has so much more to offer. “Pitch Perfect,” a musical come-dy about collegiate a cappella rivalry, premiered in theatres this fall. Yes, it is a musical movie, but it’s not like “Glee.” The story revolves around Beca, portrayed by Anna Kendrick, known from previous roles in “Up in the Air” and “50/50.” Beca, a college freshman, finds herself not fitting in at her new college, Barden University. Barden University is known for its outstanding a cappella groups, the rivaling Treblemakers, an all-boy group, and the Bellas, the all-girls group. Beca, however, is an aspiring DJ who would rather put on some music in the clubs of Los Angeles

than take college classes or partici-pate in extracurricular activities. An incident at an important a cappella competition during the previous year, though, forces

the Bellas to regroup. Beca, of course, ends up in the group. She adds some much needed fresh air to the outdated ideas of the Bellas, and the a cap-pella madness begins.

Although the storyline focuses on Beca, all the other characters greatly contribute to the quality of the movie. From the members of the Bellas to the Treblemakers and the many familiar actors, every single character in the movie has something unique about him or

her. There basically is a character for everyone. The abundance of likeable characters is actually what makes this movie so enjoyable and entertaining. My absolute favorite charac-ter is Fat Amy, portrayed by the fabulous Rebel Wilson. Wilson, who starred in “Bridesmaids” and “What to Expect When You’re Ex-pecting,” gets funnier and funnier with every movie. As Fat Amy, Wil-son entertains with her humor and surprises with her talent in singing, rapping and dancing. Although just in a supporting role, she definitely steals the show with her hilarious and memorable one-liners.  On a musical note, the perfor-mances are great. You don’t have to be a big music fan to enjoy this movie, though. Nonetheless, there

are a variety of songs — songs from the 80s, 90s and 2000s with the newest hits and brilliant mashups. Overall, the movie makes a clever balance between music and comedy. You don’t eagerly wait for them to start singing at every second, but you also don’t get overwhelmed with all the music. It’s almost two hours of pure entertainment. I was laugh-ing throughout the whole movie, as were all the other moviegoers. “Pitch Perfect” simply hits every note: comedy (an overabun-dance of college humor), romance, and excellent musical performanc-es. You can’t help but be infected by the energy of the movie. The songs will be stuck in your head. “Pitch Perfect” is estimated to be released on DVD toward the beginning of next year.

‘Pitch Perfect’ combines sweettunes with lots of laughter

“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing

and devote our attention to eating.”  ~Luciano Pavarotti and William Wright, Pavarotti, “My Own Story Th is quote reminds me that it’s not only important to eat, but it’s also important to enjoy what we’re eating. Th e most memorable smell you can experience comes during the fall. Th e mixture of pumpkins and leaves fi ll the air with smiling faces and warm hearts. Although the days get colder, my face always gets brighter because of the upcoming holidays. Th e holidays give me a time to be thankful for everything I have been through and everything that has made me, well, me. I get to be sur-rounded by my family and get to eat lots of food — my two favorite things

in the world. Among my family are grandparents who can sit and smile at the huge family they have cre-ated: cousins playing pranks and running around; cousins’ children run-ning around trying to keep up with the older kids; parents trying to fi t all the food onto the table; and my brother laughing at all the confu-sion going on in the small house. Fortunately, the house, fi lled with many years of memories, holds together for this special day of thanks. Th e dining room, connected to the

kitchen, is always off limits until the meal is r eady. Th e rectangular table seats a limited number of people so an additional card table is set up as the “children’s table.” Chairs of many shapes and sizes are stuff ed into every open space available. Th e table is set with a variety of dishes, ranging from pumpkin pie to squash to turkey to my personal favorite, green bean casserole. Th e smell of the casserole fi lls my nose with warmth and hunger. It looks like a square piece of heaven, and the scoop lift ed onto my plate gets my attention instantly. Believe me, if you haven’t tried green bean casserole yet, you truly don’t know what you’re missing. Every holiday meal should include this wonderful dish. Don’t have a recipe? Try this one:

 Ingredients1.       1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Camp-bell’s® Condensed Cream of Mush-room Soup (Regular, 98% fat free or Healthy Request®) 2.       1/2 cup milk 3.       1 teaspoon soy sauce 4.       Dash ground black pepper 5.       4 cups cooked cut green beans 6.       1 1/3 cups French’s® French Fried Onions Directions1.  Stir the soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, beans, and 2/3 cup on-ions in a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish.2. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or un-til the bean mixture is hot and bub-bling. Stir the bean mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining onions.3. Bake for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.Source: www.campbellkitchen.com/Recipes/RecipeDetails.aspx?recipeID=24099.

Movie Review: “Pitch Perfect”

Green bean casserole is a great addition to any meal,especially around Th anksgiving and Christmas

KatiePeterson

Food Column

Joy Aniteye

SportsSportsNov. 24, 2012

INSIDE:WNCC volleyball player WNCC volleyball player VanderWerff excelling on VanderWerff excelling on court, in classroom, page 6court, in classroom, page 6

Cougars off to hot startStrong defense helps WNCC

women post impressiveearly-season victories

BY DANIELLE HEARNSpectator Sports Reporter  Charles Ward is a red-shirt sophomore from Phoenix, Ariz. Ward currently is the second leading scorer on the team averaging around 20 points a game. Th e 6-foot-2 guard scored 37 points in a game against Sheridan College, where the Cougars lost in overtime 1-7-104. Ward then had 23 points in a big 82-76 win over Salt Lake Community Col-lege in the Region I8/9 Challenge in Casper, Wyo. Th e Cougars will next be in action on Nov. 27 against Casper College at Cougar Palace. Q: How long have you played basketball? A: Since I was fi ve. Q: So far, what’s your favorite thing about your team this year?   A: Team chemistry [even with] diff erent people from diff erent cultures. Q: Most embarrassing moment? A: Mouth guard falling out on a fast-break dunk.  Q: What is your favorite thing about basket-ball?  

A: Just playing the game of basketball, I love it. Q: If you could change into one person, whom would it be?

A: Denzel Washington  Q: What do you like best about yourself? A: My drive and my ambition.  Q: Do you have a role model or someone you look up to? If so, who? A: My mother. Q: Favorite pro basketball team? A: Miami Heat Q: If you could live anywhere, where would it be? A: Mars Q: If you could change something about yourself, what would it be? A: My height. Q: Has being far away from home been hard for you? A: Not at all. Q: Do you plan on playing basketball aft er WNCC? A: Yes. Q: Favorite part of dorm life? A: Meeting new people.

If you’regoing hiking

in the winter, be prepared

Even with all the sports that I have watched the last couple years, I had an experience recently that

gave me a new perspective on sports. A few weeks ago I went on a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park with several members of my family. When we left Scottsbluff , the sun was shining. When we got to Estes Park, snow was coming down lightly.

Regard-less of the snow, wind or cold temperatures, we were committed to our family hike. Not fully prepared for what we were about to encoun-ter, we set out to hike around Bear Lake and up to Alberta Falls. Hiking would not have

been a great idea had it been June, but we decided to do this in late October — yes, right aft er the fi rst major snowfall in the Rocky Mountains. It became apparent very quickly that we were not dressed right for the occasion. We were convinced we were the only crazy people who would go out on such a cold day to hike, but that was not the case. Th ere were quite a few groups that were obviously out for more than a leisurely hike. Unlike us, however, the other people were well equipped to handle the cold and snow that we strug-gled with during the whole excursion. Th eir equipment varied depending on the group, but they were all prepared for the wilderness and ready to take on the mountain. When our hike was over, we spent some time thawing out, and then we decided that if we were going to do something like this ever again, we would have to be a little bit more pre-pared. I went online to see what I would need to have a little more fun on my next snowy hike. I went in my jeans and tennis shoes, and aft er about 20 min-utes, I was cold to the bone. Th e hikers that passed us were concerned about our toes because we did not have boots on. Th e other hikers were wearing nift y snow pants and had walking sticks. Th ey had done their research, unlike us. We asked a few of the other hikers what their best tips were for staying warm. Th e most common response was lightweight layers. Th e key, they said, was to wear many layers instead of one really heavy layer. Wool was also a rec-ommendation. Wind protective gear is a great way to avoid getting cold while hiking. By wearing multiple layers, you are able to take layers off during times of extensive activity, and then put them back on as you get colder. Whether we wanted to admit it or not, hiking is a very real sport that takes a lot of preparation. By showing up unprepared, we had put ourselves at risk, and we could have gotten hurt. We went as a large group and made sure we did not get separated; still, we risked getting too cold. I now have a whole new respect for the avid hikers out there that do it just for fun. But I did a lot of research aft er our trip, and I now know what I will need the next ti me I decide to be adven-turous.

HeidiHancock

Commentary

IN the HUDDLE: Charles Ward

See Women, Page 6

BY HEIDI HANCOCKSpectator Reporter

Th e WNCC Lady Cougars basketball team is off to a strong start this season. WNCC rolled to an easy win over Casper College on Nov. 20 with a commanding 72-42 victory, lift ing the Cougars’ sea-son record to 8-0. Th e Cougars gained momentum in the Casper win by cap-turing two impressive wins against Central Wyoming College and Miles Community College in the Central Wyoming Classic, where they combined on 15 3-pointers. Playing as a unifi ed team is just one of the reasons the Lady Cougars have accomplished so much so early in the season. “We have had good practices, and everyone [has been] fo-cused,” freshman guard Maurissa Ortega said. “Th ere were a couple moments where we let down, but for the most part, we were all strong. We g o deep into the bench, and they bring ev-erything they have onto the court every single time.” With only four sophomores, three returning, the Cougars

WNCC sophomore Charles Ward goes up for a shot in the Cougar Madness game on Monday, Oct. 1.

WNCC freshman Shalisa Moffi t dribbles up the court during a game against the Nebraska All Stars on Saturday, Nov. 3. Th e Cougars won 88-29.

Th e WNCC men’s and women’s soccer teams helped the community on Monday, Nov. 19, by pre-paring and loading Op-eration Christmas Child presents at First Baptist Church in Scottsbluff . Th e groups’ goal was 3,100 boxes, and it surpassed that goal with 3,346 box-es. Th ese boxes go to chil-dren in Brazil, Albania, Columbia, Haiti, Kenya, Niger, Rwanda, Suri-name, Tongo, and Ugan-da. Pictured: (top) Clara Heimlich wraps a present while (below) Joey Rasnic, Harry Bueno, Jack Cutler, and Jonathan Ramirez Ro-driguez load boxes to be shipped.Spectator photos

Lending a helping hand

Yoanna Arellano, Brianna Baumann, Raquel Flores, and Anna Rinaldi prepare presents to be shipped for operation Christmas child.

Nov. 24, 2012 — Page 6SSports/ports/NNewsews

Cougar Scoreboard

Men’s Basketball Schedule11/2-3 @ Gillette Classic Won 98-78 — Gillette CollegeLost 104-107 OT — Sheridan Lost 49 - 102 — @ South Plains11/16-17 @ Reg. 9/18 ChallengeLost 67-68 — Southern IdahoWon 82-76 — Salt Lake CCWon 96-81 — Western Wyoming11/27 CasperCollege, home11/30 @ Holiday Classic12/1 @ Holiday Classic12/7 NW Kansas Tech, home12/14-15 @ Northwest Classic1/7 @ NW Kansas Tech1/8 @ Lamar C.C.1/11 McCook C.C., home1/18 Trinidad State J.C., home1/19 Otero J.C., home1/22 Eastern Wyoming, home

1/26 @ Casper1/29 @ Northeastern J.C.1/31 @ Laramie County2/2 @ North Platte C.C.2/8 Lamar C.C., home2/9 Northeastern J.C., home2/12 Laramie County, home2/15 @ Otero J.C.2/16 @ Trinidad State J.C.2/19 @ McCook C.C.2/21 @ Eastern Wyoming2/23 North Platte C.C., home3/2-6 @ Region IX Tourney3/18-23 @ National Tourney

Women’s Basketball ScheduleWon 88-29 — Nebraska All-stars11/8-10 @ Colby ClassicWon 62-24 — Colby C.C.Won 58-41 — Colorado Northwestern

Won 75-40 — Hastings J.V.Won 96-31 — Colo. Christian JV,11/16-17 @ CWC TourneyWon 80-48 — Central WyomingWon 68-43 — Miles C.C.Won 72-42 — Casper College11/29-30, 12/1 @ Prep Tourney12/6-8 Holiday Classic, home12/11 @ Colo. Christian JV1/7 @ NW Kansas Tech1/8 @ Lamar C.C.1/11 McCook C.C., home1/18 Trinidad State J.C., home

1/19 Otero J.C., home1/22 Eastern Wyoming, home1/26 @ Casper College1/19 @ Northeastern J.C.2/8 Lamar C.C.. home2/9 Northeastern J.C., home2/15 @ Otero J.C.2/16 @ Trinidad State J.C.2/19 @ McCook C.C.2/21 @ Eastern Wyoming2/27 NW Kansas Tech, home3/3-7 Region IX Tourney3/18-23 National Tourney

MVCMost

ValuableCougar

TaylorVanderWerff

Sport: Volleyball

Grade: Sophomore

Major: Athletic training

Position: Middle blocker

Hobbies/Interests: “I like to read, I like to shop, and I like hanging out with my friends.”

Favorite movie: “Roman Holiday”

Nickname: “T or Tay”

What do you like best about WNCC?: “I like the community, the people, how close everybody is, and the support that we get from everybody — not just from the school. It’s nice.” –By Heidi Hancock

Continued from page 5

Women

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came into this season knowing they had a lot of work to do. But aft er the fi rst few weeks of the season, the Cougars couldn’t be much happier with where they’re at. “As a team, we are gelling really well, I think,” Ortega said. “We get along off the court really well, and I think that helps on the court a lot.” Ortega added, “We still have a lot of work to do, but with having 11 freshmen and only four com-ing back, it’s amazing how well we have come together and how well we can already read each other.” Because of that, the Cougars fi gure to be one of the top teams in the region, if not the nation. “We have really high hopes for this season,” Ortega said. Ortega said WNCC’s stingy defense is a big reason the Cou-gars went into this past weekend’s games unbeaten. “Our defense has been our strongest aspect to this point,” she said. “One game we created 36 turnovers, making our defense our strong point.” She added, “Our defense is the main focus during practice, and [it’s showing]. Our defense right now is going to be our trademark.” Off ensively, WNCC has been piling up lots of points; however, Ortega said the Cougars know

they can get a lot better. “We defi nitely have to work on our off ense, but that will come,” she said. “With the games that we have had, we have been able to just really run, so we haven’t had to run our off ense very much, so we are still working on that. Further into the season, we are going to get the hang of it, and we will have our defense and off ense, and it will be hard for teams to stick with us.”

BY JOHNNY “KRR’EJ” ESCAMILLASpectator Reporter

Aft er WNCC graduate Jonni Campbell left campus, it was only a matter of time before she got back into doing what she loves: theater. Formerly president of WNCC’s Th eater Club, she is the founder of Scottsbluff ’s new theatre com-pany, L.U.N.A. (Love, Understanding, Nurturing and Awareness). While it might be a small heart, the theater community in Scottsbluff is beating one as found-er Jonni had observed. “Th ere’s a lot of interest here in theater,” she said. “I think every community should have its own company like LUNA,” said actor Olivia Paddack. “Actually, when I heard of LUNA, I never heard of anything like it before,” co-star Amber Red Bear added. What is LUNA? According to its founder, the focus of LUNA is to not only put on a produc-tion for the community to enjoy, but to use it as a vehicle for sending a message. “Th eater with a message” was thrown around in the interviews a couple times. “No matter what cause it may be … like this time it’s domestic violence and then later on down

the road it’ll be cancer or multiple sclerosis, lesbi-ans and gays ...whatever the issue might be, that’s the goal,” Campbell explained. Th e closing night of the fi rst show was Oct. 25, and the turnout ‘[left ] room to grow’ John Lee said, but the group was still able to raise $150 for the DOVES foundation, a nation-wide organization dedicated to helping victims of domestic abuse—the theme of its fi rst production, “Poof!” Th e pro-duction is “A serious comedy in which an abuse husband spontaneously combusts,” said the fl yer. “It’s such a great story [that serves as] an awe-some ice breaker for such a serious subject. Just to open people up, not to make fun of it.” “People come to see a show, and they get their entertainment, but it’s not the only thing they’re paying for. Th ey’re also helping people out at the same time. It’s good fun for a good cause.” “[Th is is] to show them something they weren’t expecting. It gets them thinking because

they hear about these issues, and they think that it happens elsewhere – that we don’t have these prob-lems – when they’re right under our noses!” Camp-bell said. “Our shows are like holding up a mirror to our audiences that show them the reality that they live in.” “I hope the message of this production will successfully reach our audience in telling them that the most important thing that any person must aspire to be in a relationship is the most ten-der and empathetic person in their partner’s life—but must realize that most of the relationships we start in life are ones that ‘just work,’ and many, sadly, aren’t meant to last as long as the ones we dream of. Take special care in choosing who you want to be with; always take care of yourself and learn that if you want to care for the loved ones you meet in life, you have to know when the relation-ship’s grown sour and when you must leave it and continue your search, no matter how diff erent the next person may be. Who knows? Th e next person may be pure magic to you,” another volunteer said. “As far as looking to the future, LUNA’s op-timism shows. LUNA will get bigger and [more people] will understand where it’s coming from,” said Red Bear. Th e impression the production left on its vol-unteers was equally visible. “It’s made me stronger,” said Paddack, one of the actors. “I think people should do this [kind of thing] every day... [Th at is] do something that makes the world a little better,” said actor Joseph Lee.

L.U.N.A. Th eater’s fi rst show comes to a close

WNCC freshman Isaiah Castellaw goes for a dunk during the dunk competition in the Cougar Madness on Monday, Oct. 1.

Dunk!

WNCC freshman Maurissa Ortega goes up for a shot during a game against the Nebraska All Stars on Saturday, Nov. 3.

Cougars place2nd at nationals

Th e WNCC volleyball team played tough at the NJCAA National Tournament, earning a runner-up performance. (above left ) Kasey Lafi taga digs a ball before the Wallace State match. (above right) Priscila Mendes passes the ball during the North Idaho College game in the quarterfi nals. (right) Tasha Meyer executes a pancake move to save the ball in the Iowa Western match.

Group that aims for ‘theater with a message’

looks to the future

A scene from Luna Th eater Company’s fi rst play “Poof ” that was held in October.

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

One of only six trans-continental countries, Th e Republic of Turkey

happily resides on both Europe and Asia. Western Nebraska Community College’s Idil Ozbayrak calls this im-mensely diverse country, informally known as Turkey, home. Specifi cally from Ankara, the capital of Turkey, Ozbayrak found her way to WNCC and the Panhandle of Nebraska on a basketball scholarship for the Lady Cougars. Covering 780,000 square kilometers, roughly twice the size of California, Turkey boasts one of the most diverse cultures in the world, blending the Asian and European cultures into one country. “You have to go Ankara,” states Ozbayrak, further ex-plaining that her home city is a playground to those interested in Turkey’s history — both artistic and governmental. Home to more than a dozen internationally acclaimed mu-seums, including the Anatolian Civilizations Museum, Anitkabir (Ataturk’s Mausoleum), and the Temple of Augustus, Ankara and the ultra-modern Esenboğa In-ternational Airport (EIA) are the

perfect introduction to Turkey. In operation since the mid 1950s and located a short 28 kilometers outside of Ankara, EIA contracts with more than 20 international airlines. “I hang out in cafés with friends when I’m home,” explains Ozbayrak. When asked what one would order in a café in Turkey, Oz-bayrak quickly answered tea or Turkish coff ee. Tea, a very impor-tant drink in most of Asia, is how the majority of Turks begin their

day; however, Turkish coff ee, comparable to espresso, is also a morning favorite. Most European countries are known for their impeccable public transportation system, and Turkey continues this standard with equally impressive subway systems, bus routes, and taxis. “Cars are very expensive, gas costs a lot of money, and the taxes for cars are high,” said Ozbayrak, explaining why owning a car is a show of status or wealth in Turkey.

“Most everyone uses the subway and buses,” Ozbayrak continued, saying that the subway system and bus routes are all very manageable and easy to under-stand, even for someone who knows no Turkish. While the vast majority of Turks are Muslim, Ozbayrak says that generally speaking Turkish people are not overwhelmingly religious people. “It depends on what part of Turkey you are in; the east is more religious than the west,” said Ozbayrak, clarifying that while religion is important, there is not the stigma over Turkey that one would associate with a very religious-based country like Afghanistan or India. Also contrasting about the diff erent parts of Turkey is the form of currency accepted. While all of Turkey uses the Turkish Lira, the more accepting one to people and businesses is the Euro and occasionally even the Dollar. Istanbul, the only city in the world located on two continents, is a melting pot of religious,

ethnic, and racial backgrounds. Connecting Europe and Asia, the Bosphorus Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in the world. Stretching over 1,500 meters, it is one of two bridges in Istanbul that connect the European side of the city with the Asian side. Home to the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, commonly known as the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest covered markets in the world, Istanbul is the major metropo-lis of Turkey. “Th ere are a lot of awesome clubs there,” Ozbayrak said about the social scene of Istanbul. When asked about popular food served throughout Turkey, Ozbayrak said that Kebabs and Baklava are a few of the must-have Turkish dishes. Kebabs, skewered grilled meat and vegetables, are commonly sold by portable food carts since Kebabs are on-the-go food. Baklava, traditionally associ-ated with Greece, is a sweet honey and nut fi lled pastry perfect for a sweet treat when concluding any Turkish meal.

Serving up a real Turkish holidayNov. 24, 2012 — Page 8BBackpageackpage

What is the farthest place

you havetraveled to?

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What do you think?What do you think?

International Country Spotlight: TurkeyBy Alexandria Moree

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Every time there’s a new generation of video game systems, a number of great franchises fall from grace or

are never heard from again. In fact, almost all the franchises that defi ned gaming’s fi rst three decades are no longer with us today. You never hear about Pong anymore—or Pac-Man, Contra, Sonic the Hedgehog, Spyro the Dragon, or Tomb Raider. Yes, six big franchises from the last six generations with their best days behind them. Th e industry is both cruel and unique in this way. For every time much more powerful machines are introduced with diff erent controls and features that capitalize on new trends and innovations in gaming, all the old franchises that came be-fore are forced to either completely reinvent themselves or die trying, overtaken by a generation of new pioneering franchises. Indeed, it’s a cruel industry that completely reinvents itself every six years. Th e last time the Kid Icarus franchise released a game was a whopping 22 yearsago, and now the franchise about the little kid-angel thinks it can transcend 22 years of gaming evolution and be one of the big boys again. Th is is Kid Icarus: Uprising for the Nintendo 3DS. Set in a world of Greek mythology, Pit — the game’s protagonist — is a lone boy-angel with an adorable gung-ho personality and a knack for getting himself stuck in the middle of disputes between the gods.

Half the game is spent fl ying through the air, shooting your way through armies of air-born enemies while the other half is spent scouting the ground on foot, taking on incredibly diverse baddies and eventful bosses — game play that is very faithful to the fi rst few games with the exception of there being no plat forming. Uprising is a rush and is so fast paced that it’s hard to keep up with everything

that’s happening on screen at once. I hardly remember any of the enemies I fought, the battle items I used, or the order of environ-ments I shot my way through! You feel scatterbrained while playing the whole time, and you develop a habit of just shooting or hacking whatever moves and then some! But not necessarily in a bad way. Uprising really knows how to keep it fun in a fast-paced way, and it knows how to throw you off with new enemy behavior

once in a while and with neat tricks and changes of pace in the environment. Just enough to keep you from playing the game mindlessly. Types of enemies feel like they number in the hundreds, and sometimes while fl ying it feels like you’re constantly making turns, fl ying upside-down, etc. It’s both exhilarating and dizzying! You can also use dozens of orbs, staffs, swords, or balls of energy with long-range and close-range attacks, with the ability to combine any two together

into a custom weapon. There’s also a card battle game included with it; a fiercely competitive online four vs. four multi-player mode; hundreds of trophies and concept art to collect; and the ability to play back its dozens of tracks. And this is a HAND-HELD game, people! Th e 3D eff ect is used beautifully. Th e graphics are pixilated and blocky, but with how busy the game gets, it’s understand-able that quality was sacrifi ced. But most noteworthy is the soundtrack — one of the best soundtracks Nintendo has ever made. Fully orchestrated, climatic, and epic in a way that really gets the blood pumping. What’s more is that throughout the whole game, Pit and the gods talk to each other. Th at serves to move the story along but was also what made Uprising one of the funniest (and best stories) Nintendo’s ever written. By the end of the story, I felt like I played a game equal in charm to any Mario

or Zelda game. I loved it that much. I want more than ever to give Upris-ing a perfect score, but one major thing weighs it down — the controls. Playing this game on the 3DS hurts — a lot. Having to use a fi nger to fi re, two fi ngers to hold the system, a fi nger to hold it in your palm, a fi nger to swirl the analog-nub, and your right hand to use the stylus just doesn’t work. I don’t think I would have fi nished it if it weren’t for the small table-stand that comes with the game, which is greatly appreciated but defeats the purpose of it being a portable game. Uprising is quite a comeback and achievement for a franchise that was long overdue in letting us play the lovable angel that we’ve missed greatly. And de-spite the controls, it’s still one of the most unforgettable games I’ve played in recent memory.

Grade: B

Th e Kid Icarus franchise returns after twenty-two years

What is your favorite store?

What are two things you can’t livewithout?

What is the fi rst music

CD that you bought?

San Francisco Ross Friends and music Tattoo

Juarez, Mexico American Eagle

Musicand food

BritneySpears

Japan GAP My kids and my phone Boys II Men

Stuttgart,Germany

Victoria’sSecret

Money and food

BackstreetBoys

JohnnyEscamillaVideo Game

Review

WNCC vocalmusic group shinesin performanceat Torrington

Rae-Lee Tresierra sings during a performance at Torrington High School on Oct. 31. Th e vocal mu-sic department toured four dif-ferent high schools toward the end of October, including Leyton, Bridgeport, and Morrill.