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Page 2 Holiday 2011

Upcoming Events

Wallace State

Newspaper

StaffSTAFF MEMBERS

Anna Parrish Bethany Eze

Athena Bingham Alyssa White

Laura Smith Christopher Chapman

Kaylen Kennedy Aaron Gutierrez

Andrew Hill Samuel Colunga

Hasten Taylor

Participation

The newspaper always welcomes new staff members. It is sponsored by the Wallace State

Communications and Marketing Department and the Wallace State Art Department. If you

are interested in participating, please contact: Kristen Holmes. Ph: 256-352-8118, Burrow

Center Museum, kristen.holmes@wallacestate.edu; Russell Moore, Ph: 256-352-8443, Bur-

row Center, Room 210, russell.moore @wallacestate.edu; or Adrian Scott, 256-352-8145,

adrian.scott@wallacestate.edu, Burrow Center, Room 219. Meetings are held in the Graphic

Arts Classroom on the 2nd floor of the Burrow Center on Wednesdays at 3 p.m.Mission

It is the mission of the Wallace State newspaper to inform the Wallace State student body of

campus news and events.

Submissions and Suggestions

If you have a story idea or would like to make a submission to the Wallace State newspaper,

please send an e-mail to newspaper@wallacestate.edu. All submissions must include the au-

thor’s name and contact information.

It is the policy of the Alabama State Board of Education and Wallace State Community Col-

lege, a postsecondary institution under its control, that no person shall, on the grounds of

race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability or age, be excluded from participation

in, be denied benefit of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program, activity or

employment.Wallace State Community College is accredited by the Commission on Col-

leges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur,

Georgia 30033-4097. Ph: 404-679-4501).

By: Christopher Chapman

After several trips to Wallace State’s Culinary Arts cafeteria in the BanquetHall, one would start to believe that what was once a lunchroom is now a restaurant.

I treated myself to lunch several times during the fall semester and waspleased and surprised at the quality of the food prepared. The Culinary Arts stu-dents, led by Chef Chris Villa, prepare buffet-style meals for students, employeesand the community on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., during thefall and spring semesters. They also present fine dining opportunities throughoutthe semester to complement the buffet.

Most of the items on the buffet can be conjured up and created at home, buton Nov. 8 I splurged and sat down fora relaxing lunch, and ordered off the ala carte menu. I read the menu care-fully and placed an order that con-sisted of steak covered with adelicious crab cake and a baked po-tato on the side.

I was given a chance to substitute a vegetable side for a house salad, mixedwith greens, cucumbers and tomatoes covered with a vinaigrette dressing thatwas made on site and exquisite.

Along with the salad, I had the greatest pleasure of enjoying sourdough bread,which within it included an assortment of oats and yeast, allowing for a sweet en-joyment of a flavorful delicacy.

I was very pleased with the service and what the steak lacked, the crab cake,salad, bread and potato made up immensely.

I personally extend a huge thank you to the chefs, culinary students and stafffor all the hardwork and deliciousmeals.

Come out andenjoy a deliciousmeal with friendsand faculty, allwhile helping yourfellow WallaceState students.

Culinary Students

Prepare For Real World

Culinary Arts serving times:Tuesdays and Thursdays during fall and springsemesters from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., or until sold out.Additional serving times are planned and postedthroughout the semester because of specialevents or classroom projects.

Tuesday, Jan. 3

Spring Tuition and Fees Due

Thursday, Jan. 5

Selected ORI 101 Classes Begin

Sunday, Jan. 8

1 p.m. WSCC Women’s Basketball vs. Snead State3 p.m. WSCC Men’s Basketball vs. Snead State

Monday, Jan. 9

All Classes Begin

Thursday, Jan. 12

Last Day to Charge Books on Pell Grant at Bookstore5 p.m. Sigma Kappa Delta Induction Ceremony atBurrow Center

Monday, Jan. 16

Wallace State Campus Closed for Observance of MLKDay

Wednesday, Jan. 18

1st Pell Grant Disbursement at Tom Drake Coliseum

Thursday, Jan. 19

5:30 p.m. WSCC Women’s Basketball vs. Gadsden St.7:30 p.m WSCC Men’s Basketball vs. Gadsden State

Sunday, Jan. 22

2 p.m. WSCC Women’s Basketball vs. Southern Union4 p.m. WSCC Men’s Basketball vs. Southern Union

Monday, Jan. 30

5:30 p.m. WSCC Women’s Basketball vs. Lawson St.7:30 p.m. WSCC Men’s Basketball vs. Lawson State

Wallace State art instructor Adrian Scott is among a select group featured in the "Alabama's FinestArtists" exhibition on display at the Gadsden Museum of Art through January 15, 2012.

A longtime proponent of incorporating natural materials from the environment and found objects in hisartistic creations, Scott, who is director of Wallace State’s Visual Communications associate degree programand an art instructor, describes himself as a multimedia artist who uses a variety of digital and traditional artmaking processes. Sometimes has a preconceived plan for his work and other times he begins with a few ma-terials and allows the finished work to emerge through a process of discovery, allowing the materials and workitself to point him toward its finished form. Most recently, Scott said he has enjoyed “shredding and incorporat-ing everyday food and product packaging as assemblage and sculptural materials.”

He has three original artworks featured in the exhibit, works titled “Delicious Dixxie Pop Drone-Age WingedDispensaur V.1”, “eyes hunt, eyes seek, eyes gather, eyes scatter 2010_1” and “Amalgamated Totemic Robotic Figure V.1”.

“I find that my artwork largely is a mythologization and thematic exploration of the rich and potent visual iconography and history of myhome state Alabama, but I have long been influenced by comics, anime, science, consumerism and questions of sustainability,” said Scott.

Scott was born in Mobile and now makes his home in Cullman. He holds a B.F.A. in Art Education from Murray State in Kentucky and amaster’s degree in Art Education from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He has been a member of the Wallace State Art Departmentfaculty for more than 12 years, where he has been instrumental in organizing community arts events and engaging students and the commu-nity in art and art education.

For more information about the “Alabama’s Finest Artists” exhibition, visit www.gadsdenmuseum.com.

Wallace State Instructor Adrian Scott Featured in

“Alabama’s Finest Artists” Exhibition

“eyes hunt, eyes seek, eyes

gather, eyes scatter 2010_1”

by Adrian Scott

Adrian Scott

Veterans DayPage 3 Holiday 2011

During the final days of 1918, World

War I was coming to a close and a

temporary halt of hostilities between Al-

lied Nations and Germany was in effect.

Because of this termination of hostili-

ties, the eleventh hour of November 11,

1918, was the last day of WWI. There-

fore, in November 1919, President Wil-

son proclaimed November 11 as the

first commemoration of Armistice Day

with the following words: "To us in

America, the reflections of Armistice

Day will be filled with solemn pride in

the heroism of those who died in the

country’s service and with gratitude for

the victory, both because of the thing

from which it has freed us and because

of the opportunity it has given America

to show her sympathy with peace and

justice in the councils of the nations…"

(Source: US Department of Veterans

Affairs)

We are almost 100 years from that

very statement and the country is in-

volved in its sixth war. Many readers of

this article have family, friends, or know

someone that is serving or has served

in all six wars. There are still several

WWII, Korean, and Vietnam veterans

around and every time one passes, we

lose a large part of the greatest genera-

tion. The greatest generation title is ex-

tended to all of these men because they

deserve it. It takes courage, strength,

and fear to go into battle.

Many of the veterans from WWI are

no longer with us; however, many

WWII, Korean and Vietnam veterans

are still with us. Even though the num-

ber is falling rapidly, many stay active

and keep their health in good order. In

addition to the aforementioned wars,

the Gulf War and let us not forget the

two wars that the United States wages

on two fronts in the Middle East have

given us many veterans that desper-

ately need help and support.

Such is the case of the many veter-

ans that participate in activities right

here on campus.

Cynthia Newman, their fearless

leader as she was called, who works in

the Wallace State Wellness Center, or-

ganizes the activities for the senior citi-

zens. I had the pleasure of speaking

with a few of the Veterans in the well-

ness center. One in particular was a Mr.

Henry Taylor.

He joined in 1941 before the attack

on Pearl Harbor. Stationed on board the

USS Bellatrix (AK-20), a cargo ship that

transported Marines to the Solomon Is-

lands in the South Pacific during some

of the toughest battles of the war. In ad-

dition to carrying Marines, the ship also

carried supplies back and forth from is-

land to island.

Several attacks by Japanese Bomber

Squadrons kept the ship’s crew on their

toes and generally at General Quarters.

Mr. Taylor told me, “The ship was under

bombing attack twenty two times in five

days. Hit once.’ ‘One day nineteen high

altitude twin engine bombers flying in V-

formation dropped several bombs

around the ship. So many in fact, the

other ship that was with them thought

they were sunk because of all the water

from the bombs.”

Not only did Mr. Taylor serve in the

South Pacific, while still stationed on

the USS Bellatrix, he had the opportu-

nity to serve on the eastern front as

well. He was on board ship in July of

1943 on D-Day at Gela, Sicily.

There are millions of stories just like

Mr. Taylor’s around us daily. There are

many sad ones as well; however, not

many people will stop and listen to the

stories that these veterans have to tell.

Most veterans wish badly to tell their

tales of excitement, heroism and pain.

They yearn for companionship, the kind

they had when they were enlisted.

When a veteran is discharged from the

military, he or she is placed back into a

world where no one they know under-

stands anything they have been

through, unless they have family or

friends going through the same thing.

Nevertheless, he or she is alone.

In addition to our military veterans,

there are many who wear a uniform and

lay their life on the line for everyone,

everyday. Police, firefighters, and any-

one who is in the business of keeping

the people of America safe.

It is important that when one has the

pleasure of meeting a real warrior, that

he or she be greeted with respect and

dignity that they deserve.

So many will meet a veteran and only

say thank you or happy Veterans Day.

Is it a happy Veterans Day? Does one

know what the thanks he or she is giv-

ing actually means to that veteran?

In conclusion, when meeting a vet-

eran, regardless of one’s opinion of any

war, instead of saying Happy Veterans

Day, or, just a thank you at other times,

stop and have a conversation with that

person. Every American needs to know

exactly why he or she is saying thank

you.

Happy Veterans Day and thanks to all

who serve and have served.

The Eleventh Hour, of the Eleventh

Day, of the Eleventh MonthBy: Christopher Chapman, Veteran, US Navy

Wallace State’s Wellness Center has many veterans who use the facility three times a week. Pictured are, from left to right, Al Thomas ofHanceville, Jerry Goldin of Holly Pond, Alton Grisby of Nectar, Roy Wilson of Hanceville, Marge Akin of Hanceville, Harry Chandler of GoodHope, Troy Wisener of Hanceville, Carlton Smith of Cullman, Don Watts of Cullman, Willie Clements of Hanceville, Henry Taylor ofHanceville and Thomas Graves of Hanceville.

Veterans Howard Millican of Garden City and Edgar Messersmith of Hanceville.

Page 4 Holiday 2011

Campus News

By: Samuel Colunga

In the midst of college life here at Wallace State

there is a program that many readers may not know

about; a TRIO program called Upward Bound, which

is funded by the U.S. Department of Education and

was part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “War on

Poverty.”

The program was initially authorized under the

Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and founded later

in 1965. It has an annual budget of around 200 mil-

lion.

The program’s mission is to help students in

grades 9-12 successfully complete high school and to

prepare them for post-secondary education by provid-

ing rigorous and nurturing academic courses as well

as enriching them with cultural and educational activi-

ties.

There are currently 681 programs in the U.S., and

Upward Bound first came to Wallace State in 2007.

Throughout the course of the academic year, high

school students from Blount and Cullman Counties

meet at Wallace State every other Saturday from ap-

proximately 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

There are teachers and advisors who help stu-

dents with school work or with personal or family prob-

lems. During the summer, students battle it out

against themselves for six weeks to study and to learn

for the upcoming school year.

This is not all Upward Bound is about. Upward

Bound has brought together a group of teachers and

students including myself, from different backgrounds,

different races and different personalities and those of

us whoever completed the Upward Bound program

are united as one big family and all are called “Ubers.”

But enough tears, there is still a lot more to say.

On the sixth week of the summer program, those

who have passing grades throughout the summer are

rewarded with a trip all expenses paid, minus souvenir

and snack money.

Wallace State’s Upward Bound’s first cultural ex-

perience in 2007 was a trip to Washington D.C.,

where we visited the Capitol and many other monu-

ments.

For many this was their first trip out of Alabama,

and many Upward Bound graduates said it was the

best trip they would take for the rest of our lives.

Our second trip was to Orlando, Fla., where we

visited Sea World and Disney World. This was an ex-

citing trip for all of us.

On the third trip we went to New Orleans, La.,

only this time we traveled by train. We visited many

local places and as the previous trips, we went to col-

lege campuses where we explored the educational

world.

The fourth and most recent trip, which I did not at-

tend, was to New York City. Maya Copeland, a previ-

ous Upward Bound student, said it was the best trip

she had been on. Well, Maya glad to hear that be-

cause the place I’ve always wanted to go to on the trip

I wasn’t able to attend.

Upward Bound has graduated notable alumni, in-

cluding Oprah Winfrey, Angela Basset, Patrick Ewing

and Viola Davis.

At Wallace State, the Upward Bound office is lo-

cated at the General Studies building, and its first di-

rector was Aletta Williamson, who now teaches

psychology here on campus.

Upward Bound is now under the direction of Whit

Rice, an Auburn and Troy graduate who is also a die-

hard Auburn fan. Rice inherited the program in June

2010.

“I love seeing students succeed and do something

they’re not expected to achieve,” Rice said.

Rice is aided in the department by program advi-

sors Melissa Arnold and Kelly Powell, along with Trio

Talent search advisor Sheila Mosley.

Arnold started out as the math instructor of the

program in February 2010 and fell in love with the pro-

gram and the students. She then took the job as advi-

sor in August of that same year.

Kelly Powell, also an Auburn graduate, began

teaching near Auburn after college, where she saw

that underprivileged students were not given the same

treatment and opportunities the higher class students

had. This inspired Powell to start working at Child

Haven, which helped troubled students from grades 9-

12 near the Cullman area.

It was only by word from previous Upward Bound

Instructors Holly Dodd and Jason Teichmiller that

Powell heard about the job, to which it was a blessing

because all she wanted to do was work and help stu-

dents.

There are many more people that can be named

who have been associated with the program but only

a few are here at Wallace State; students such as Tia

Marie Nall who started when the program began. She

is studying to be a nurse so she can work with preg-

nant women and gain her own independence.

There’s also Jacob Murphy, Chase Nall, Maya

Copeland, Veronica Jose, Carmen Jimenez, Thania

Velasco, Cody “Ethan” Dell, Jessica Pajeron, Sarah

Mays, Josh Brown and myself.

There are a lot more things that can be said about

Upward Bound, and the program will certainly con-

tinue striving forward and helping students here at

Wallace State.

I believe there is only one word that can describe

what my fellow classmates and I felt all those years,

and that word is love.

We learned to care, and we learned to love, and

like the Phil Collins song “Son of Man” goes, “In learn-

ing you will teach and in teaching you will learn.”

For Upward Bound and its students and teachers,

this is certainly the case but just like you and me and

everyone else, we’re still learning, we’re still teaching

and most of all we’re still living our lives and going for-

ward because in the end I’m proud to say that Upward

Bound was and still is a family.

Wallace Stateactors shine in“Guys and Dolls”performance Kaylen Kennedy

I recently attended the Wallace State The-

atre production of “Guys and Dolls,” for a Sun-

day matinee, led by college theatre director

Lauren Cantrell-Salerno. After pre-show enter-

tainment from the talented Sy Shaver, the cur-

tains opened for the play.

Following the opening dance number, I

was blown away by the accents that every

actor seemed to possess and was impressed

with the consistency of the accents throughout

the production. It was apparent that the cast

had spent many hours refining the accents.

I was amazed at Ethan Harris’ musical per-

formance as Nicely-Nicely Johnson. I had seen

Harris perform prior to this production, and his

character was Johnson’s complete opposite.

However, the actor who impressed me the

most was Jacob Neal. Having seen him per-

form before, I must say that his performance

as Nathan Detroit was very different from his

past roles, and he did a fantastic job bringing

his character to life.

The music was entertaining, and every

actor sang quite

beautifully.

Hannah Size-

more did a splen-

did job providing

comedic relief. Her

character literally

made one “Laugh

Out Loud.”

My favorite

scene was the

Cuban dance num-

ber. It contained

saucy music, very

animated dancing and a whole lot of attitude.

All-in-all I enjoyed the musical entirely, and

the theatre department and Cantrell-Salerno

did a marvelous job once again.

WSCC’s Upward Bound program aids high schoolersas they prepare for post-secondary goals

Wallace State recently hosted A Steinway Showcase featuring

a performance by Steinway Artist Bill Devan. The college hopes to

become the first community college in the state recognized as an

All-Steinway School by prestigious piano maker Steinway & Sons.

“The All-Steinway designation means a great deal to us be-

cause the most important thing we do is serve our students with

excellence,” said Wallace State President Vicki Hawsey. “Steinway

is about excellence,” she said.

All-Steinway Schools are considered among the best music

schools in the world. Wallace State would join other All-Steinway

Schools such as the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the

University of Montevallo in Alabama. There are just 135 All-Stein-

way Schools worldwide.

The All-Steinway School designation is granted to institutions

who meet stringent requirements provided by Steinway & Sons.

Ninety percent or more of the acoustic pianos owned by the institu-

tion must be Steinway & Sons, Boston or Essex pianos, and the in-

stitution must maintain an inventory of at least 10 Steinway pianos.

Wallace State is currently accepting donations toward the purchase

of the final three.

Steinway pianos are considered some of the finest pianos in

the world. Each grand piano is built by hand, taking over a year to

create. Steinway is the instrument of choice of 9 out of 10 concert

artists, including Harry Connick, Jr. and Billy Joel.

“This is really a unique designation and an investment in the

arts for our college,” said Wallace State Music Department Chair-

person Ricky Burks. “We hope to attain the All-Steinway School

designation by fall semester of next year.”

WSCC seeks Designation

as All-Steinway School

Campus/Studying tipsPage 5 Holiday 2011

Check out these study habit tipsBy: Bethany Eze

The close of each college semester tests our study habits. As we get readyto begin a new semester, what have you discovered about your study habits?Do you study while listening to music or watching your favorite television showon Thursday nights? Many students begin a new academic year trying to learnwhat type of learners they are, however discovering this information does not al-ways mean that is the best way to pass your exams.

Discovering the study techniques that work best are the key to making thegrade on a test. If you are like me and so many other students, you found your-self learning how to adapt your learning style and eventually learn what worksbest for you. You may have also found that you had to adapt your style accord-ing to the type of class and teacher you may have this semester.

When the end is near and finals are knocking at the door, have you learnedfrom all of your previous test-taking taboos?

If you are ever in need of last minute study tips for the semester so that youcan enter into a new year with a new perspective, here are a few I’ve put to-gether.

Work with a group of friends. Divide the work and conquer those peskystudy guides together. It is an effective way to reduce your workload and to makesure you understand the material. You might even make a friend in the process.

Flash Cards. “If it ain’t broke –don’t fix it.” Sometimes the best habits arethe ones we have always used. Flash cards are oldies but goodies. Writingnotes and definitions more than once helps imprint information in your memory.It also increases the development of aide-mémoire devices and associativephrases.

Consistent testing. Test your knowledge or have someone quiz you on thematerial. Do not underestimate the power of learning from the questions youmissed on the previous quiz or exam. Study over them.

A healthy body can help you ace the test! Get plenty of rest and eat theright foods! Your mind can function better when you are well rested and healthy.

Participation is a key element. Attend classes and play a part in the discus-sions, ask and answer questions. You will have already begun the process of re-viewing and will know what to expect on the exam.

Your teachers are there to help. Take advantage of your teachers’ andprofessors’ office hours. Remember they are there to assist you. If you do notunderstand the material do not be afraid to ask for help.

Use your time wisely. Sometimes Grey’s Anatomy will have to be recorded.The only thing worse than having a deadline is missing a deadline. Stay organ-ized, cut down on procrastination and your work load will feel much more man-ageable.

Remember to think positive and have a positive outlook each semester and

take it one semester at a time.

Wallace State President VickiHawsey introduced new College DeanJohnny McMoy to employees andguests during the college’s annualThanksgiving Luncheon during the fallsemester.

McMoy comes to Wallace Statefrom Middle Georgia College, where heserved as Director of Aviation Campusand Director of Planning, Assessment,and Grants. He will oversee all aspectsof Wallace State’s Library, InformationTechnology, Administrative Computing,eLearning, and Planning and Assess-ment Divisions.

His duties as College Dean includedirecting the gathering of data in sup-port of strategic and operational plan-ning as well as providing reporting tofederal, state and institutional entities.He will provide leadership for campusacademic and administrative units in re-search methods and design, dataprocesses and analyses, and documen-tation in preparation for the college’sdecennial SACS review. He will alsoguide the delivery of learning resources

and information technology while ad-vancing the college’s eLearning pro-gram.

“We are delighted that Mr. McMoyhas joined Wallace State and look for-ward to positive growth through hisleadership,” said Dr. Hawsey.

McMoy holds a Master’s degree inEnglish from the University of Ten-nessee, a MBA from Vanderbilt Univer-sity, and is completing a doctorate inHigher Education Administration atGeorgia Southern University.

An expert on institutional effective-ness and accreditation, he has servedfour states as a consultant in that area.Prior to his work at Middle Georgia Col-lege, he served at Chattahoochee Val-ley Community College as Director ofInstitutional Effectiveness and Planning.He has also written numerous state andfederal grants in such areas as newprogram development, minority reten-tion, and community reading collabora-tive.

“The approach I like to take is onearticulated by author Michael Gerber,who writes about the critical importanceof working on the business, not in it,”said McMoy. “In other words, I believethat to be effective we need to periodi-cally step back and look at our pro-grams and services as a consultantwould do.

His previous experience outside ofhigher education includes 16 years indomestic and international business, in-cluding six years as an airport adminis-trator in the Middle East and ten yearswith American Airlines, the last two inChicago as a Strategic Marketing Ana-lyst. For three years he chaired the Anti-Terrorism Conference for Georgia’sairport managers.

McMoy is a frequent speaker atcampus and community events, andserved on and the Council for AlabamaResource Development as well as nineboards of directors, chambers of com-merce and tourism committees.

In his spare time, he writes poetryand was a nominee for Poet Laureateof Alabama.

“I love working at colleges and be-lieve that a college is certainly oneplace on the business landscape whereideas have primacy,” he said. “We arein the best of all businesses. Our busi-ness is changing lives for the better forour employees, students, and commu-nity stakeholders.”

College Dean Johnny McMoy joins WSCC family

Johnny McMoy

Wallace State Community Collegestudents Tim Hendrix and Maria Grayrecently represented the college at the2011 Advanced Technical Education(ATE) National Principal InvestigatorsConference in Washington, D.C.

Hendrix and Gray spent three daysattending a variety of seminars, demon-strating and sharing with other collegestheir programmable logic controllers(PLC) and visiting landmark destina-tions at the nation’s capital.

The trip was funded through sup-port of the National Science Foundation(NSF) and the Consortium for AlabamaRegional Center for Automotive Manu-facturing (CARCAM).

“Wallace State has been able to at-tend the conference for several years,and it’s a competitive and thoroughprocess to have students selected. Stu-dent representatives are selected by acommittee in Washington, and to thebest of my knowledge we were the onlycollege to have two representatives,”said Wallace State Electronics and Au-tomotive Manufacturing Technology In-structor Joe Hendrix. “The conferenceallows our students to see what theyare learning and doing here relative tothe rest of the country, not just locally.They see the skills they are gaining atWallace State will be able to be usedanywhere they want to go, and they getto see the diverse concentration ofstudies from other schools in industrialautomation. The perspective the stu-dents receive is great.”

Selected members of communitycolleges, four-year institutions, busi-nesses and industries shared ideasabout technology and their programsduring the conference, specializing in

areas including information technology,engineering technology, micro- andnanotechnologies, chemical technologyand biotechnology among others.

Tim Hendrix, an Arab native, andGray, a Warrior resident, were recog-nized at an opening breakfast andtreated to tours of the White House, theUnited States Capitol Building, the of-fice of Congressman Robert Aderholtand other popular monuments in thearea.

“It was a wonderful opportunity andone I appreciate so much,” said Gray. “Itwas very interesting to see the impres-sive things we are doing and how thatapplies to a national scale and to learnhow other schools specialize in certaintechnologies.”

Wallace State’s Automotive Manu-facturing Technology program is amember of CARCAM, which is a con-sortium of 11 colleges across Alabama,designed specifically to educate andproduce future technicians for the auto-motive and advanced manufacturing in-dustries.

WSCC students Tim Hendrix,Maria Gray attend ATE Conference in Washington, D.C.

Pictured, from left, are WSCC student

Maria Gray, WSCC Instructor Joe Hen-

drix and WSCC student Tim Hendrix.

Giving ThanksPage 6 Holiday 2011

Turkey FactsBy:Anna Parrish

Did you know?

The costume of Sesame Street’s Big Bird is made ofnearly 4,000 white turkey feathers, which have beendyed bright yellow.

The First Turkey Trot was held in England during the1700's, and turkeys were walked to markets in largeherds. Turkey farmers often covered the birds' feetwith little booties to protect them on the long journeyto the London market.

The head and neck of turkeys have no feathers; ratherit is covered with red, fleshy skin. A soft floppy growthon the front of the head, which dangles downwardover the beak, is called the snood or dewbill. Theturkey also has a pouchlike area at the front of histhroat which is called a wattle. The head, neck, snoodand wattle are all reddish colored until the male turkey

begins to do his "strut" or mating dance at which timethe entire area turns brilliantly bright red.

Only the adult male turkey makes the gobbler, gobblesound. The adult male is called the "tom" turkey. Thefemale or “hen” turkey makes a gentle clucking orclicking sound. The hen never gobbles.

During the 1970’s a popular slang expression was tocall a person doing something stupid, a "turkey." Beingcalled a turkey was not a compliment, in fact, it meantyou were incompetent. The comparison was to the do-mestic turkey that has been bred into a condition ofprofound stupidity.

Charles Dickens’ “The Christmas Carol” is credited forpopularizing the serving of turkey for Christmas din-ner.

In the sport of bowling, when a player bowls threestrikes in a row—it is called a turkey.

Several varieties of turkeys live in America. Thelargest is the Bronze turkey. The tom weighs up to 50pounds while the hen can weigh up to 16 pounds.

The "turkey trot" was a dance made popular in theearly 1900’s. Conservative members of societythought the dance was demoralizing and tried to get itbanned at public function, which only served to in-crease it’s popularity. The turkey trot was not a grace-ful dance, as couples danced around in circlesbobbing their heads like strutting tom turkeys. Alas, itwas soon re placed by the ever so popular "Fox Trot"in 1914.

A Holiday EnlightenmentBy: Anna Parrish

With all the hype and materialistic “celebration” that surrounds the holidays wetend to forget what it is really about. Thanksgiving is about appreciating what wehave in our lives and being thankful that we are as fortunate as we are.

Most of us take for granted what we have and although some of us may not havethe best or most expensive things we should still be thankful for what we do have.You may not drive a $100,000 car but at least you have a vehicle to get around in.You may not live in a mansion but at least you have a roof over your head. Youmay not eat 5-star dinners but at least you have food to eat.

And you may get into it with friends and family but appreciate them because theywon’t be here forever. And no matter what, there is always someone less fortunatethan you, so do a good deed and help someone less fortunate than you this holi-

day season.

Thanksgiving throughthe yearsBy: Anna Parrish

The very first Thanksgiving actually took place on September 8, 1565, in St. Au-gustine, Fla., between the Spaniards and Timucua Indians.

The first Thanksgiving is credited to the Pilgrims when they had a harvest celebra-tion with the Wampanoag Indians that lasted three days in the fall of 1621.

The food that would have been served on the first Thanksgiving mostly consistedof deer, wild fowl (geese, duck, wild turkey, eagles), seafood (lobster, eel, cod),dried corn, pumpkin, nuts and fruits.

George Washington proclaimed a national Thanksgiving following the defeat of theBritish at Saratoga in December of 1777.

Sarah Josepha Hale, author of “Mary Had a Little Lamb” and America’s first femalemagazine editor, wrote to five U.S. presidents for more than 40 years urging thatThanksgiving should be made a national holiday.

Upon the urging of Hale, in 1863 Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday inNovember to be the national holiday of Thanksgiving.

In the 20th century, Thanksgiving kicked off the Christmas shopping season and in1939 President Franklin Delano Roosevelt moved the Thanksgiving holiday up oneweek to stimulate the economy. The holiday was aptly nicknamed “Franksgiving.”

In 1941, Congress officially declared Thanksgiving to be observed on the fourthThursday of November.

Benjamin Franklin believed that the national bird should have been recognized asa wild turkey and not the bald eagle.

Football has been played on the Thanksgiving holiday going back to 1920. The De-troit Lions have played in every single Thanksgiving Day football game since 1934and the Dallas Cowboys have done the same since 1966.

What are you thankful for?

Elizabeth TierneyFreshman - General Studies“I am thankful to have the opportunity to fi-nally come back to school and to have peo-ple who love and support me through thisnew adventure.”

Donya Rowe SorensonFreshman“I am grateful for my family and the won-derful professors I am in class with.”

Erica D BakerFreshmen“I am thankful for my volleyball family and the opportu-nity to win STATE. I am also, thankful for my family.”

Mark NelsonFreshman“I'm thankful for my wife LaRita and all she hasdone to give me this opportunity to be in school.Plus, I'm also thankful for the life we have createdtogether.”

Ashley Brooke KirbyFreshman - General Studies“I'm thankful for my wonderful friends and family to begoing to such a wonderful college where everyone isextremely nice and helpful! :)”

Tangela WilliamsSophomore - General Studies“I'm Thankful for my Familyand the chance to further myEducation here at Wallace.”

Talmadge Beau Garrison“I am 54 and I am thankful I willgraduate in Dec., with a degree intelecommunication. You can teachan old dog new tricks.”

Jennifer Cordell “I am a Sophomore at WSCC in the CLTprogram. I am thankful for my family andeveryday that God grants us to wake upand enjoy a new day!”

Page 7 Holiday 2011

Holiday Traditions

“I remember a Christmas years ago, I was about 12 or

so and our home got burglarized just 2 days before

Christmas. We lived in the "country" and it was not an

easy task to just "run down to Wal-Mart" and get more

things. I remember friends, neighbors and local

church members coming by with fruit and candy and

little gifts so that my sister, brother and I would not be

without anything for Christmas. They also contributed

money, and a couple of days after Christmas my par-

ents took us shopping and bought us Christmas toys

and clothes. The best part of that whole Christmas

was how the community came together and brought

us the fruit and candy. That meant more to me than

anything I can remember ever getting on any other

Christmas.”

Mary Hays Wilson-Lisa, freshman, Culinary Arts

“The best gift I've ever received was from my

boyfriend of a year at the time and it was a charm

bracelet that had charms describing important events

that had made up our relationship. I wear it everyday!”

Ashley Brooke Kirby, freshman, General Studies

“My senior year of high school, a club I was the Presi-

dent of, Tri-M, decided to sponsor a class at the

Blount County Special Need's Center. We reached out

to the community for donations at the annual Christ-

mas band concert and the outpouring of support was

amazing. We had more than enough items turned in

to suffice every single one of the ten kids we spon-

sored. I didn't know how to feel to about it going into

the visit because I was nervous, but those kids were a

Christmas present in disguise. You should have seen

the excitement on their little faces when they opened

all their gifts and began to play with their toys! I whole-

heartedly enjoyed meeting all the kids and the cup-

cake party we had with them afterward! Several of the

parents were also there to thank us for helping them

with their kids, who they said wouldn't have had

Christmas presents otherwise. It was the best, most

overwhelming feeling I've ever had. And, every year

when Christmas rolls around, I think about that experi-

ence.”

Alexa LeAnne Alldredge, sophomore, Education

“A gift that I've received that means a lot to me is a lit-

tle bell. My parents gave it to me when I was a kid and

was a big fan of the “Polar Express.” So they gave me

a little bell, like the little boy in the story received from

Santa's sleigh. I still have it and I'm still a fan of the

“Polar Express.”

Katie Sparkman, 2009 General Studies graduate

“The best gift I have ever received was a quilt my

mother in law made for me. I was absolutely surprised

when I opened it, because she told me it was being

made for someone else and would not be finished by

Christmas. The thought and element of surprise made

the quilt extra special to me.”

Donya Rowe Sorenson, freshman, Paralegal

“My best gift was a trip to the beach to celebrate New

Years. On the trip, my husband proposed!”

Kara Phillips Davis, freshman, Dental Hygiene

“In 1985 my sister found our presents in the closet

and showed me. She had a pig with a beautiful wed-

ding dress and parasol. I was so upset and would not

talk to my mom. She brought me to her room and said

"why are you so mad?" I cried, "Because my pig is

naked!" She did get her wedding dress and I still have

mine, but she is headless due to years of abuse. My

sister lost her pig in a storage fire. It still means so

much to me.”

Jona Pelas Nelson, sophomore, Early Education

“The best or most meaningful gift I have received at

Christmas would have to be my family being able to

be together every Christmas. So many people I know

do not get to see all of their loved ones during the

Christmas holiday, and I feel truly blessed that my

family is able to see each other and have Christmas

dinner every Christmas Eve together!”

Miss Wallace State 2012 Sara Beth Drake

By Samuel Colunga

There are many reasons for the

season, one just so happens to be

movies.

This holiday season indulge your-

self with films such as “A Christmas

Carol,” “The Nightmare Before Christ-

mas,” “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole

Christmas,” “Jingle All the Way,” “The

Santa Clause” and the widely popular

movie “Elf” starring Will Ferrell.

These, however, are not the only

films that may cross your path during

this month. The following is a list of my

favorite holiday movies; ones you can’t

go wrong with during this holiday sea-

son.

No. 10. “Bad Santa” (2003). At

number 10 on the list is the raunchy

holiday comedy “Bad Santa.” It stars

Billy Bob Thornton as an alcoholic

Santa, who works in a family mall. The

film is as dark as any dark comedy can

get and it is completely the opposite of

your average Christmas movie. It will

make you laugh and will definitely

change your viewpoint on Christmas in

a whole new way. All though it is a bit

graphic, “Bad Santa” has heart and in

the end you’ll have an odd warm feel-

ing, which that my friends is called a

guilty pleasure. The film has an R rating

and is not considered a family film. It

should be watched with friends you feel

comfortable around.

9) “Die Hard” (1988). “Die Hard” is

not what you’d call a Christmas movie,

but it is set during a Christmas party so

therefore it makes the list. When people

think of an action film, “Die Hard” tends

to be on everyone’s list. Most of you

know the story, and when you start get

ting tired of all the family, animated and

romance films this Christmas, check

“Die Hard” out.

8) “The Shop Around the Corner”(1940). This movie stars Jimmy Stew-

art, in a film which was one of the inspi-

rations for the movie “You’ve Got Mail”

starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.

“The Shop Around the Corner” tells the

story of two gift shop clerks, who can

barely stand each other during the holi-

day season, but little does each know

that they are slowly falling in love. Many

may consider the ending a cliché, but it

is a classic that will leave you wanting

more films like it. The movie is shot in

black and white, but worth giving a shot,

even for those who prefer color films.

7) “Miracle on 34th Street”(1947). Here is a movie that is a miracle

in many ways because it is a film of

honesty and family. “Miracle on 34th

Street” is your average Christmas

movie, but it is also one of the most dif-

ferent kind of films ever made because

it’s shot black and white and has with-

stood the test of time. This black and

white movie one of the all-time beauties

and one you’ll be glad you watched.

6) “National Lampoon’s Christ-mas Vacation” (1989). Chevy Chase

stars in this cult classic, which seems to

pick up more steam each year. It’s rude,

crude and hilarious to watch as the

Griswold’s Christmas holiday takes a

turn for the worst. Watching “Christmas

Vacation” is a vacation enough, and

when you’re in desperate need for a

laugh, just relax, sit down and enjoy

“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vaca-

tion.”

5) “A Christmas Story” (1983). I

believe the words “movie classic” was

invented for a film such as “A Christmas

Story.” There aren’t many words that

can describe the beauty of growing up

and seeing the world through the eyes

of child during the Christmas holiday. If

you have seen this movie you’ll under-

stand why it’s a classic but for all of you

who haven’t, this is one of those movies

you just have to see.

4) “Home Alone” (1990). “Home

Alone” like “Christmas Vacation” may

not be one of the greatest movies ever

made, but it is a classic in many peo-

ple’s books. “Home Alone” is every kid’s

wish, and it also embodies the dreams

and fantasies in each and every one of

us. The movie is a mixture of goofiness

and beauty. Let it be said that “Home

Alone” is a warm and beautiful movie in

its own way with an ending that just

gives you a feeling of peace.

3) “Love Actually” (2003). Let me

start off by saying forget the movie

“Valentine’s Day,” which is a romantic

comedy about a group of people and

how their lives intersect in Los Angeles;

instead find this movie because it is the

story of a different group of people in

London during the Christmas holiday

and how their lives come together with-

out them even knowing it. “Love Actu-

ally” shows how each character of falls

in and out of love, and no matter what,

never gives up on the beauty of love.

This is one of the best romantic come-

dies in recent years and should make

you smile and laugh and leave you hop-

ing to find your true soul mate. Although

the film is rated R for sexuality, nudity

and strong language, it is a perfect holi-

day movie for adults.

2) “The Polar Express” (2004).“The Polar Express” is an escape that

makes you want to be a kid again; from

the music to the animation and down to

the story “The Polar Express” is one of

the greatest Christmas movies ever

made. It teaches us to hope and believe

in ourselves, not just Santa Claus. This

is a great family movie that sparks the

imagination and is fun to just sit back

and enjoy.

1) “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946).This is one of the greatest movies of all

time, also starring one of my favorite

actors, Jimmy Stewart. The film was not

intended to be a Christmas film, but it’s

as beautiful as life itself. Frank Capra

made the film during a difficult period in

his life, and explains when there is

darkness in life there is always a light at

the end of the tunnel. Capra’s agony

turned into a masterful classic. It’s hard

to describe the proper emotions into

words that can describe this film; it’s

simply one you need to watch. It is a

comedy, a fantasy, a romance and a

family film that will for sure, if not any-

thing else, give you hope and a reason

to keep on living your life the best you

can. This film is a miracle and will for-

ever be in my heart, so take a chance

on “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

So there you have it, the list for this

season, and if you like going to the

movies during the holidays check out

“Sherlock Holmes 2” (Dec.16), “Mission

Impossible-Ghost Protocol” (Dec. 21),

“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” (Dec.

21); and also check out Steven Spiel-

berg’s “War Horse” (Dec. 25), “The Ad-

ventures of Tintin” (Dec. 21), and

Cameron Crowe’s “We Bought a Zoo”

starring Matt Damon. Have a blessed

Christmas and New Year’s and remem-

ber the holidays are always better with

a movie on.

‘Tis the Season for Classic Movies

What is the best or most meaningful Christmas gift you have ever received? Wallace State Facebook Responses

Page 8

Taking ActionHoliday 2011

Tree RecoveryBy: Anna Parrish

When tragedy struck Alabama on April 27th with a whirlwind of tornadoes, many of our beautiful sceneries, landmarks and trees were destroyed at Wallace State.After several months of clean-up, recovery and planning we are slowly getting back to the way things were, and in response to this Wallace State supported a tree plant-ing day on November 17th. Many different clubs and classes participated in this event to try and replace some of the trees that were lost. Each tree has a sponsor andthey are to take care of that tree including The Mane Issue. With more effort we can have Alabama back to being beautiful again.

President Hawsey and students gather to take part in this event.

The Mane Issue’s tree with editor, Anna Parrish.

Students working hard to restore trees.

The following lists indicates groups that sponsored trees for the November 17 Tree Planting Day and the location of the tree. Each group is responsible for the care ofthe tree throughout the year, including watering during dry months. The event was organized by the Wallace State Green Team.

Association of Nursing Nursing Building Dogwood East side

Nursing Department Nursing Building Gingko East side

Medical Asst Bevill Dogwood West side, South Sidewalk

OTA Program Bevill Gingko West side, New offices

Therapeutic Massage Bevill Dogwood West side, Frances Dodd Dr.

Drafting Dept. Drafting Gingko Frances Dodd & Tech Drive

Dental Hygiene Drafting Dogwood West side, Frances Dodd Dr.

Phi Theta Kappa Drafting Dogwood Frances Dodd & Tech Drive

Math Dept. Math Gingko Math Building/Renaissance Dr.

Library Dept Library Willow Oak Former Red Barn location

Upward Bound Conservation Dr White Pine Former Water Testing Lab location

Adult Education Conservation Dr White Pine Former Water Testing Lab location

Baptist Campus Ministries Machining Building Green Ash Between PDL & Machining

Computer Science Club Machining Building Gingko Between PDL & Machining

The Mane Issue Machining Building Green Ash Between PDL & Machining

President Bookstore Gingko Front, near Gazebo

SGA Bookstore Pin Oak Front, near Gazebo

Student Services Natural Trail Green Ash Behind Baseball Field

TRIO Natural Trail Willow Oak Behind Baseball Field

Transitional Learning Natural Trail Willow Oak Behind Baseball Field

Biology Dept Natural Trail Pin Oak Behind Baseball Field

Sigma Kappa Delta Natural Trail Green Ash Behind Baseball Field

Sigma Kappa Delta Natural Trail Pin Oak Behind Baseball Field

Page 9 Holiday 2011

Things I am

Thankful for this

YearBy: Athena Bingham

I started to do a piece where I asked students on campus what they are

thankful for this year. I changed my mind because I decided that I would

share my usual answers.

I’m thankful for:

Family, Friends, Troops, Health, Being an American and Surviving the

Tornado.

I have decided that none of that is as important as this little girl’s story

that I have heard this year (Name withheld because of age).

I asked this one little girl thinking I would get a regular answer, but she

looked up at me with her big brown eyes with a wobbly smile after much

consideration and said: “I am glad my grandmother wasn’t took to heaven

with the rest of my family. I am glad we have a place to bury our dog and

that my doll Susie was found in the rubble. And I am glad my church is still

here.”

I considered the girls’ words carefully and nothing else I could write

down seemed any where near as important. So, as you start to sit down to

your table this holiday season be glad you have a table and friends and

family to sit with you, and give thanks and take a moment to remember

those who lost more than you.

Remember the individuals who lost love ones this year. Think about the

ones who lost their homes and had to start completely over. Remember

those less fortunate than you and be thankful you have an opportunity to

live in a place that allows you the freedom to be thankful.

An Opportunity to ServeBy: Bethany Eze

There is no better feeling than the feeling you get during

the holidays! The store decorations, the expanded aisles full of

wonderful goodies you only see at the herald of the holiday sea-

son; not to mention the endless parties, programs, treats, dinners

and the gathering together of friends and family. But there is

more to the warm feelings we receive from all of those things

mentioned. The holidays bring with it a chance to do something

for others which can make a difference to everyone involved.

Getting involved is a great way to help others less fortu-

nate, and it gives you a chance to feel good about contributing to

the community and society. So what can you do as a college student to help those in need this

holiday season? There are many ways to get involved this holiday season and ALL year

around.

It is a good idea to start looking for holiday volunteer opportunities now, so you can be

sure to find something you would like to do. If you wait until the last minute you may not have

an opportunity to really get involved.

Environment. Clean up a vacant lot or river bank, raise funds to adopt an acre of the rainforest

or other habitat, clean up trash in your local park, partner with volunteers to paint a mural at a

local school or park, or a vacant building that has become an easy target for graffiti.

Adopt a family. Encourage your family or church to take the time to adopt a family or fami-

lies in need this holiday season. It is always such a great feeling to see the joy brought to a

family whose needs have been met.

Volunteer. Set up a soup kitchen or find an organization that serves the community with food

and other needs.

These are just a few tips that can be incorporated into your holiday resolutions that will make a

big difference in your local community. From big to small you can help improve your commu-

nity this holiday season. Let this be an opportunity that continues all year long.

Our Soldier

By: Anonymous

On Oct. 30, 2011, my family and I arrived at the armory around 5 a.m to see our soldier, my father, off to war. It

was dark and cold, contributing to the mood of every soldier and his/her loved ones. The remaining minutes with our

soldier were full of jokes and laughter, but when the time came for the final formation every one of us had tears in our

eyes.

We watched the soldiers board the three buses from the side of the road, anticipating the final glimpse from our

soldier. Our soldier waved as he boarded the bus and as the caravan took off; beginning this new journey we caught

sight of our soldier sitting in his seat. For the first time in my eighteen years of life I saw my father cry and at that mo-

ment, my tears could no longer be contained either. As the taillights of the buses began to disappear into the fog of

that early Sunday morning, the sun began to rise and with it we realized that our day had only just begun.

What Really Matters

Unwrap Yourself during the HolidaysBy Bethany A. Eze

Everyone faces some type of turmoil in life no

matter how big or small. For many, the circum-

stances of life can have a more significant effect

than others. Some of us have experienced the loss

of loved ones, relationships, employment and other

things. These are all situations which may cause se-

vere “blues” or depressions during the holidays.

With all of the struggles one endures in everyday

life let’s face it: when you add the strain of the un-

expected with the rush of the most wonderful time

of the year, it can cause a little bit of stress.

Although depression is on the rise, especially

among individuals ages 15-24, there are ways to

cope with this matter so that you can get unwrapped and enjoy this special time of year.

Here are a few tips to help you breathe easier during the holidays:

Do not keep the secrets of stress to yourself. Sometimes even the smallest things can

make life hard. Acknowledging the issues which are causing you stress can help you over-

come it.

Get involved this holiday season. Often times we are so wrapped up in the gifts and the

shopping that we forget it’s about giving. Giving your time to help others can help you feel

better. Assisting other people gives you an opportunity to take your mind off of yourself

and out someone else’s needs before your own. It also allows you to do something positive

and offers you companionship and support.

Set aside your differences. Accept friends, family and situations for what they are this

year. Set aside grievances for a more appropriate time for discussion so that you and others

can breathe a little easier. You never know who else may be dealing with stress.

Learn to say “no.” If you say “yes” when you should say “no,” it can leave you with feel-

ings of guilt, resentment and being overwhelmed. Do not feel as though you have to take

on the world and attend every party or activity. Do what you can and others will under-

stand.

Don’t take stress out on your body. You are what you eat. Be kind to your body and it

will be kind to you. Both of these statements are true. Make sure you do not allow the

stresses of the holidays to interfere with you taking care of yourself. Eat healthy and get

adequate amounts of rest. Overindulgence is another way you can assault your body so

maybe try eating a small healthy snack before going to the holiday parties and dinners so

you will not feel the need to overdo it.

Remember, the holidays are not about being perfect and neither is life! It is about making

the most of the moments before you; sharing, loving kindness, joy and peace.

Miss Wallace StatePage 10 Holiday 2011

Sara Beth Drake of Cullman wascrowned Miss Wallace State 2012 inthe Miss Alabama preliminary pageantheld at the Betty Leeth Haynes The-atre on Sunday, Nov. 20.

As Miss Wallace State, Drake, 18,wins a tuition and fees scholarship toWallace State, a $350 cash scholar-ship, and a spot in the Miss Alabamapageant at Samford University nextJune. Her platform is literacy – “Read-ing is Believing: Don’t Stop Believing.”

Drake’s tap dance performance to“Move” also won the talent competi-tion.

Katherine Anderson of Cullmanfinished first runner-up, earning a$300 cash scholarship.

Abby Myrex of Bremen was thewinner of the Miss Wallace Stateswimsuit competition and finished sec-ond runner-up overall, earning a $250cash scholarship.

Other Miss Wallace State pageantcontestants Courtney James of Cull-man, Danielle Pearson of Cullman,Hannah Sizemore of Vestavia Hills,

Linda Bishop of Birmingham, andOlivia Mitchell of Gardendale. Eachcontestant in the Miss Wallace Statepageant received a $200 WallaceState tuition and fees scholarship re-gardless of placement.

As a Miss Alabama preliminary,the Miss Wallace State pageant is partof the Miss America system. MissAmerica is the leading provider ofscholarships for young women in theworld. Each year, more than $40 mil-lion in cash and tuition scholarship as-sistance is made available to theyoung women who compete in thesystem.

Miss Alabama Courtney Porterand Miss Wallace State 2011 PaigeHarbison emceed the event and pro-

vided entertainment.

Miss Wallace State 2012 Sara

Beth Drake is available for special ap-pearances and speaking engage-ments by calling pageant directorSuzanne Harbin at 256.352.8144.

Sara Beth Drake

Crowned Miss Wallace

State 2012

Pictured L-R: Second runner-up Abby Myrex of Bremen, 2012 Miss Wallace State Sara BethDrake of Cullman and first runner-up Katherine Anderson of Cullman.

Miss Wallace State 2011 Paige Harbison crowns Sara Beth Drake, the new Miss WallaceState.

Sara Beth Drake performs a tap routine to “Move” to win the talent competition as well asthe overall title.

Pearl Harbor; etc...Page 11 Holiday 2011

By: Christopher Chapman

On Wednesday, Nov. 30, a lecture was given in

Birmingham by the political prisoners in Iran. The lecture

featured the now famous kidnapped hikers, Shane

Bauer, Josh Fattal and Sarah Shourd. Before the lecture, a video played on the big screen

that was stationed on the stage next to the table where

the hikers sat. As the video played an interview with

Sarah and her mother, Sarah spoke of the day before

and the day of the kidnapping. Sarah, Shane and

Joshua went to a waterfall, after camping the night, and

they decided to take a walk. They asked around and

found a trail that was safe for them to hike.After a few hours, they decided that it would be wise

to turn back, especially since another friend that was

with them was feeling better and going to meet them at

the waterfall. Sarah said that as they were headed back,

they spotted an army soldier, which they believed to be

an Iraqi soldier. The three did not see any harm when he

waved for them to travel further down the trail. When

they stopped and looked, he motioned for them to come

to him. Once reaching the soldier, he pointed to the

ground and in Farsi, he said, “Iran,” and then pointed at

the trail and said, “Iraq.” The three were detained and

everything was stripped from them, including their

clothes and passports.One of the hikers said that they were held in the po-

litical prisoner wing, spent months in solitary confine-

ment, and were labeled as spies. Whether they were

spies or not only our government knows. We do know

they claimed they were not and were, of course, eventu-

ally released. Before their capture, Sarah was living in

Damascus, Syria, which some might call, if not suspi-

cious, at least risky behavior during such tumultuous

times. Otherwise, to live, work or study abroad in any re-

gion would be an interesting experience.More details made public about the hikers can be

found on the Internet. The rest of their story will soon be

in a nice hardback for everyone to read. The three are

currently working together to write about their experi-

ence and the people that surrounded them in prison.

Given how little emotion and insight about their or-

deal that they shared during the lecture, promoting their

book project seemed to be the main objective of the

event. Unfortunately, the lecture came across as a

planned publicity stunt.

By: Christopher Chapman

December 7, 1941, “A day that will live in infamy.”

Those words spoken 70 years ago by PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt still resonate in the hearts andminds of many Americans living today. With many ofour aging World War II veterans in their 80s and 90s,“The Greatest Generation” is leaving us and alongwith them are the stories and memories of the attackon Pearl Harbor and WWII itself.

It was 70 years ago the Japanese attacked PearlHarbor with a brilliant, yet deadly planned attack thatcrippled much of the Navy’s Pacific fleet. Fortunately,the Aircraft carriers stationed in the Pacific at the timewere not in port.

The attack came around 8 a.m. Aleutian time andlasted about an hour. Within the hour, the Japanesemanaged to nearly destroy all military forces on the is-land.

There were 2,300 people killed during this horren-dous event. Many men were trapped in the USS Ari-zona as it went to the bottom of the harbor, where itstill rests today.

The marking of the 70th anniversary of the attackdenotes the end of the meetings by the Pearl Harbor

Survivors Association, which will disband on Decem-ber 31.

Many survivors are not able to make the trip be-cause of age and/or illness. Many will stay home andattend smaller gatherings that are more intimate.

On Dec. 7, we as Americans keep in our thoughts

and prayers the ones who lost their lives in 1941, justas we do in September ever since 2001.

Events like these bind us together, and help us re-member who we are. As Americans, we join in fightsagainst foreign and domestic aggression. We standfor loyalty, honesty, freedom and justice for all.

On days of remembrances like these, do not for-get the men and women who died defending thiscountry.

Also, as our men and women come home fromIraq and Afghanistan, help them reassert themselvesback into the civilian world. Do not stray from them, ortread lightly around them. They wish to be treated as ifthey never left.

With this December 7 in the past, let us not forgetthe men and women that are leaving us in recordnumbers. They served in the Pacific, in Asia, thePhilippines and surrounding islands. From Iwo Jima tothe Solomon Islands, from the shores of Normandy tothe streets of Paris and Berlin and to Midway, theyslept in holes in the ground and marched a deadlymarch.

Fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers,some still living in the homes they built themselvesafter returning home from the war, sit and wait toshare their story with anyone that will listen.

Pearl Harbor attack turns 70; few survivors remain

The attack at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 was one

of the most horrifying days in United States history.

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Scholarships are available to the followingschools:Deadline is February 22nd, 2012.

The University of AlabamaUniversity of West AlabamaUniversity of Alabama – BirminghamJacksonville State UniversityUniversity of Montevallo

Applicants, who wish to be considered mustmeet GPA requirements, have completed an ad-mission application to the transferring schooland plan on enrolling at that school for the Fall2012 term.

Quick Facts about these awards:University of Alabama – this is a $10,000scholarship (for up to four semesters) and willbe awarded to 1 graduate of WSCC. GPA re-quirement is 3.0.Jacksonville State University – this scholar-ship will be awarded to 4 students of WSCC.GPA requirement is 3.5. This award pays full instate tuition (up to 16 hours per term) for Fall2010 and Spring 2011.UAB Honors Scholarship – this scholarshipwill be awarded to 1 student of WSCC. GPA re-quirement is 3.5. University of West Alabama – this scholarshipwill be awarded to 8 students of WSCC. GPArequirement is 3.0.University of Montevallo – this scholarship willbe awarded to 1 student of WSCC. GPA re-quirement is 3.25.

Transfer Scholarship Packets are available inthe Financial Aid Office. The completed packetmust be turned in to the Financial Aid Office nolater than Feb. 22nd, 2012 at 4 pm. The dead-line for the UAB Honors Scholarship will be Feb.15th, 2011, 4 p.m.

PresidentialTransferScholarshipInformation

Transfer ScholarshipJacksonville State University will award four Presidential Transfer Scholarships to Wallace State students gradu-

ating in 2012. The scholarship will pay full in-state tuition costs for the Fall-Spring 2012-2013 academic year, for upto 16 hours each semester. To be eligible for the scholarship, Jacksonville State University requires the student tobe unconditionally accepted prior to March 1, 2012, have an overall 3.5 GPA and have never attended JacksonvilleState University. See more scholarship information on this page.

WSCC AthleticsPage 12 Holiday 2011

The three-peat is complete.Wallace State’s No. 19-nationally-ranked volleyball team won the program’s

third consecutive Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC)/Region 22state tournament championship late Sunday night, beating Gadsden State 25-20,31-29, 27-25 in an intense title match at Beck Field House on the Gadsden Statecampus.

This state championship may be the sweetest of the current three-year runafter Wallace State battled Gadsden State for nearly five hours. The Lions (42-3)overcame their first loss of the season to an ACCC opponent in Sunday’s firstmatch, losing in four sets before rebounding to sweep the Cardinals in the mostcrucial match of the season.

“A lot of teams would have folded the tent after we lost the first match, but forus to come back, step up and finish strong shows the true character of this team.I’m extremely proud of my girls,” said Wallace State coach Randy Daniel, who wasnamed ACCC/Region 22 Coach of the Year. “Our sophomores always have a lot ofunfair expectations because it gets harder and harder to win each year off the tra-dition and expectations we have built. I had athletic directors from opposingschools telling me it was our time to lose this tournament. It’s crazy how the pres-sure mounts the more you win.”

As ACCC/Region 22 champs, Wallace State advances to the NJCAA Division Inational tournament, which is set for Nov. 17-19 at West Plains, Mo. It will mark the12th national tournament appearance for the Lions.

Wallace State opened the tournament Saturday with victories over SneadState and Gadsden State, earning a bye to Sunday’s championship. GadsdenState fought through the elimination bracket to set up the title bout with WallaceState for the third straight year.

Of the seven sets played between the two rivals Sunday, only two were de-cided at the 25-point mark, and neither team maintained more than a seven-pointadvantage throughout the day.

“It was unbelievable and something like I’ve never experienced before. I hadnever played in a state championship before this and can’t believe how crazy it’sbeen,” said Wallace State freshman Erica Baker, who was named ACCC/Region22 MVP for her regular-season efforts. “It was a very tough day. Gadsden Statehas nothing to be ashamed of. We picked up our intensity the second match andplayed our hardest when we needed it most.”

Baker, a Hazel Green grad, was named MVP after leading the conference in

hitting percentage (.604) and blocks (101) and finishing second in kills (326).Joining Baker on the All-Region first team were sophomores Lesley Bemis and

Callie Miller and freshman Brooke Beasley. Sophomores Kris Lawson and AmeliaMoore and freshmen Jessica Coombs and Bekah Myers were named to the sec-ond team.

Wallace State was strongly represented on the All-Tournament team as well.Beasley, a setter/hitter from Winfield, earned Tournament MVP honors, finishingthe four matches with 138 assists, 27 digs and 21 kills. Baker, Bemis and Myerswere also All-Tournament team selections.

Wallace State’s ability to win its third straighttitle was also aided by a deep roster, whether itwas Athens Bible’s EA Shaver providing qualityminutes off the bench, Coombs fulfilling multipleroles or the team’s sophomore leadership.

“We always say were only as good as the lastperson on our team and when it came down to itwe had players who stepped up and saved us.This entire team is made up of fighters. Even whenGadsden State beat us the first game, we knewwe would pull it out. We never doubted,” said Law-son, a graduate of nearby Gaston and one of theLions’ six sophomores. “It was just a matter ofplaying with a little more intensity and knowing wewere the better team and playing like it.”

Sophomores on the team are Lawson, Miller, Bemis, Moore, Caelin Light andKaydi Langley.

In his fifth season at Wallace State, Daniel has now compiled a 195-31 recordwith four straight undefeated regular seasons in conference play and three state ti-tles in a row.

“This one means a lot. You are proud anytime you can win a championship,but the way we did it meant so much after Gadsden State hit us in the mouth dur-ing the first match,” Daniel said. “Things happen for a reason in this sport, somaybe we can build on that and become better players for the national tourna-ment.”

Rounding out the Wallace State roster are freshmen Erica Wicktora, MaeganBelcher, Hannah Gunn and Amelia Meinhart.

WSCC volleyball wins 3rd straight ACCC,Region 22 championshipFreshman Erica Baker named Player of Year

Erica Baker