http://hccperspective.blogspot.

com

April 2013

News

Find Out About About the Criminal Justice Career Fair

Are We Really Going Green?

Profiles

Look A Little Deeper in More Than Meets the Eye

Opinions

Will Guns Continue to be a Problem in Our Schools? Find out on page 12

A Tribute to HCCs Beloved Bob Isaacs

You Want Me to Give You What?3 By Latisa Pacheco Staff Writer Equal Representation the Goal4 By Neil Knox Staff Writer Facebook: The Dark Side4 By Jessica Brooks Editor Gun Control: 5 By Alex Rovello Staff Writer Students Welcome Club Day at HCC6 By Latisa Pacheco Staff Writer Illegal Music Brings Slower Internet6 By Joshua Hamel Staff Writer Front-line Equality7 By Katelyn Avery Editor HCCs Annual Criminal Justice Career Fair 20137 By Kathryn Hanrahan Staff Writer Are We Really Going Green?7 By Rebecca Legoute Senior Staff Writer Fight in HCC Cafe8 By Elizabeth Figueroa Senior Staff Writer Photobooth Memories8 By Elizabeth Figueroa Senior Staff Writer Students Helping Students At HCC8 By Myranda Sinkler Staff Writer Supporting Theater Arts8 By Emma Tecun Staff Writer Be Skinny Says Society10 By Sherly Montes Editor Dont Get Scammed! 10 By Rachel Kulikowski Senior Staff Writer Pregnancy: 11 Amanda Figueroa Staff Writer

arts & cont entertainment nts e

Housatonic Community College Makes Sense11 By Myranda Sinkler Senior Staff Writer Helpful Librarians at HCC11 By Katelyn Avery Editor A Violent Culture Must Confront Itself12 By Neil Knox Staff Writer XKCD: Bridge12 By Randall Munroe (xkcd.com) Leaving Your Legacy13 By Elizabeth Figueroa Senior Staff Writer Guns on Campus: 13 By Santiago Achinelli Editor Up All Night: 16 By Emma Tecun Staff Writer The Other Side of Your Lens16 By Joshua Hamel Staff Writer The Ghosts Will Walk 17 By D.C. Weidenfeller Editor in Chief More than Meets the Eye19 By Rebecca Legoute Senior Staff Writer HCC Alumna Gives Back to the Community19 By Sam Rosoff Editor HCC Professor Becoming Popular Local Lecturer19 By Sam Rosoff Editor HCC Secretary Went from Factory to Classroom 20 By Sam Rosoff Editor Local Dramatist Enjoys Encore at HCC20 By Sam Rosoff Editor Long-time HCC Professor Leaves Powerful Legacy 22 By Brandon T. Bisceglia Educational Assistant / Contributor HCC Sports Teams24 By Jack Loretan Staff Writer

Horizons Staff
David Weidenfeller Professor Karyn Smith

Editor-in-Chief Advisor

Educational Assistant
Brandon T. Bisceglia

Santi Achinelli, Katelyn Avery, Jessica Brooks, Karen Fernandez, Sherly Montes, Sam Rosoff Dannyy Alamo, Stephanie Castillo, Elizabeth Figueroa, Rachel Kulikowski, Rebecca Legoute, Myranda Sinkler Lauren Cherry, Amanda Figueroa, Joey Gargano, Angela Gee, Joshua Hamel, Kathryn Hanrahan, Neil Knox, Jack Loretan, Shaquana Minott, Latisa Pacheco, Alex Rovello, Remy Sanon, Emma Tecun, Shannon Vaugh

Editors

Senior Staff Writers Staff Writers

Art and Design Director:

David Kisly

Professor Andy Pinto

Design Advisor:

HORIZONS News

arts & entertainment news e

Why People Refuse to Participate in Blood Drives
By Latisa Pacheco

You Want Me to Give You What?

selves? Now, offering donors refreshments, such as cookies, chocolate and juice wont be convincing enough as religion also plays a role in the donating process. An estimated 1,914,000 Jehovahs Witnesses according to 2012 U.S Census, follow the Bible commandment in Acts 15:29 to abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood, meaning they will not part-take in donating blood or accepting blood transfusions. Jehovah (God) approved the use of blood in the Mosaic Law only for sacrifices of animals to make atonement for sins, Antonette Stergios, a Jehovahs Witness, said. She used the Bible to explain another use of blood Jehovah approved: He allowed Jesus to sacrifice his life (blood) for our sins. Caitlin Pogonowski, also a Jehovahs Witness, was glad to have this commandment in the Bible. Blood transfusions can be dangerous. You might take it to save your life and it has the opposite effect, giving you a disease or it still wont be enough to save your life, she said. However, according to the American Cancer Association, the risk of infections from blood transfusions are extremely rare. Tests are performed to check blood that may be treated with antihistamines, like diphenhydramine (Benadryl). Similarly to Jehovahs Witnesses and adamant about blood transfusions, the Muslim religion populates up to 1,349,000

Staff Writer

he American Red Cross seeks the help of HCC students and other Connecticut residents as their blood status hits an emergency low. After Hurricane Sandy cancelled 300 blood drives last year, the severity caught President Obamas attention and led him to declare nationwide March as American Red Cross month. In a desperate attempt to help millions, the American Red Cross has set up camp in the cities of Connecticut. Beginning in Stamford and returning to HCC, they hope for an increase of last years outcome. However, HCC student Daquan Young said, I dont like the idea of people taking my blood and I dont like needles. Young was agitated by the question. Maybe Id do it for someone in my family. I think I am anemic now, so I do not give blood anymore, said student Maya Sample. When freshman Rubens Benoit donated blood for the first time, he was not sure what it would be used for. The blood drive was in my school and I wanted to be a part of it, so I was willing to help, but I dont think I would do it now, he said. HCC librarian Peter Everett says he

health of their blood, Dowdell said. Carol Mcfarlane, also a phlebotomist, said she does not know why people are afraid of getting an infection from the

American Red Cross truck out on duty. Photo by Latisa Pacheco.

Residents attend blood drive to help those in need. Photo by Latisa Pacheco.

has experience in donating blood, but not much. Someday it might be me needing blood, he said, so its for the greater good. Carol Lara, a student and employee at HCCs library, found out at age 14 that she was anemic. Otherwise, she said she would love to give. People who can, should donate, she said. What if they needed blood them-

for germs that can cause bacterial and viral infections, and parasites, but no test is 100 percent accurate. Possible infections are Hepatitis B and C, which happens in one of every 350,000 units or less, and HIV, which has been reduced to one out of two million. Other common reactions may include itching, shivering, headache, chest or back pain, nausea, dizziness, and trouble breathing

in the 2012 U.S. Census. Their Holy Quran says in al-Baqarah 2:173: He has forbidden you only the maytah (dead animals), and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allah (God).... But, if extremities befall Muslims under compulsion of necessity and there is no food or medication that can cure them, then the option of a blood transfusion is allowed, according to alAnam 6:119. Aware of an individuals choice to not donate blood or accept blood transfusion, the ACA approved the use of an alternative called intraoperative or postoperative blood salvage.This procedure is especially popular amongst Jehovahs Witnesses because it saves blood by collecting it with a special machine and giving it back to the patient. The ACA says the procedure is beneficial when the blood supply is limited, if patients have rare blood types, and it helps avoid the risks that follows blood transfusion and for those whose immune systems would destroy donated blood. Still, there is no real substitute for human blood as yet, and the procedure is not effective for cancer patients, due to tumor cells in blood or someone who has lost large amounts of blood, said Leo and Gloria Rosen, writers for the ACA. For this reason, Tracy Dowdell, phlebotomist for American Red Cross says healthy donors are needed to help those in hospital beds. She wanted to make a difference to millions of people. I provide the necessary safety checks of each persons physical health and the

needle. I take care of my patients before they give blood, by checking their blood pressure and their vitals, Mcfarlane said, adhering to the federal guidelines of each person during an appointment. Betty Genter, a volunteer staff at American Red Cross, was impelled to help others. She began coordinating blood drives while working at a paper company. I would like to see more donors. Its painless, its a sense of satisfaction, she said, smiling. Derek Daunais, a regular blood donor, has a 20-year donation record that he started in high school. People need it for blood transfusion, so I give as often as I can, Daunais said. It doesnt hurt! Dont be afraid! Its easy once you get into the habit, and you get snacks after, he said jokingly, trying to encourage others to donate blood. The American Red Cross continues to make great efforts to provide people in crisis today with hope for tomorrow. Mcfarlane spoke for herself and her ARC staff members by saying, We will cover the entire area of Connecticut for donors, but without willing volunteers there wont be much of an increase in blood supply for ill patients. Their journey in the state of Connecticut will end on May 30, at the Fairfield County Blood Donation Center in Norwalk, and the Norwich Donor Center in Norwich, both held from 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. For those interested in donating blood, visit www.redcross.org to make an appointment in the Connecticut area.

To be eligible to donate blood to the American Red Cross, you must:

Be at least 17 years old - Weigh at least 110 lbs - Have not donated in the last 56 days - If taking medication, bring a list - Drink plenty of water - Eat a healthy meal thats high in vitamin C before donating - Wear a shirt that can be raised above the elbow - Bring a valid ID or donor card -

HORIZONS News

Equal Representation the Goal

By Neil Knox Staff Writer

hether it be on the federal, state or local levels of government do you feel women are being fairly represented? And if not, what can you possibly do to change the situation? These are just two of the questions posed to the participants in the annual Political Women Essay Contest sponsored by HCC through the Womens Center here on campus. This is an annual event that begins during the spring semester. The winning essays are being selected as this article goes to press. And surprise gentlemen, you too can participate. Of course, we all are aware that there is a major disparity in the number of women in representative positions of government. This contest offers the winner an opportunity to actually witness the daily activities going on behind the scenes of state government here in Connecticut. The first-prize winner will get to spend a full day with the current Secretary of State Denise Merrill. Awards are issued to the second and third place finalists as well. These awards usually consist of books and other literature pertaining to the subject.

Our overall objective is to raise awareness among students about this issue, noted the projects director, Linda Wolfson of

Denise W. Merrill, Secretary of the State of Connecticut. Photo courtesy of ct.gov/sots

the Counselling Department at Housatonic. Although a man has never won the first prize, we have had over the past ten years three or four finish within the top three. We encourage all students to participate, she went on to say. Recent interviews conducted randomly on campus with female students asked whether they were aware of the essay con-

test and how they felt about the subject in general. Kathleen, a freshman at HCC said, I actually wasnt aware of the contest, but in general it just seems to me that it doesnt really matter who represents us in government. They may start out with good intentions, but eventually they (politicians in general) all seem to just become part of the problem, not the solution. Another freshman, Michael, seemed to echo the same sentiment. Gender doesnt matter, the people are never fairly represented anyway. They may have plenty of willingness at first to engage the system but sooner or later they will conform to the status quo. In response to these opinions, Wolfson was quick to point out that If a person accepts what they believe to be the status quo as acceptable then things will never really change. We are offering students a chance to explore the possibilities of change and the vehicles they can use to enact the change they crave or desire. If the women who were the early pioneers in politics had believed that changing the structure was impossible, where would they have ended up? By challenging that system they gave others the courage to

keep moving in that direction, she added. The actual contest does not receive the participation and publicity that it should due to several factors. Wolfson pointed to personal issues such as work, family, and lack of communication on campus. She hopes that this will change over the next few years. She cited faculty notification to students as one stumbling block. In a country where the Equal Rights Amendment cannot be passed through the Congress, we obviously have our work cut out for us. Hopefully we can start some kind of a grassroots movement here by just letting women, and men, know that these things need to change. She certainly knows that the recent elections in 2010 saw a shift in power in Congress and cost one of the most prominent women on the national political scene, Nancy Pelosi, to lose her standing as Speaker of the House, one of the most powerful political positions in the United States government and the closest a woman has come to the highest political office in the United States. We will continue to do our best to inform our students and to try and encourage them to at least look at the possibility of a career in politics, said Wolfson.

Facebook: The Dark Side

By Jessica Brooks Editor

ccording to Statistics Brain, a website trusted by CNN, The Huffington Post and a variety of other heavy hitters in the business of news reporting, have kept tabs of the many social networking sites, including Facebook. Over 1.2 billion people worldwide have Facebook profiles and at least a little over half of those individuals log on to their profiles everyday. Considering that Facebook is one of the leading sites among people across the globe with an astounding 1.2 billion users, it only provokes thoughts about how exactly the website is being used? Most people use Facebook to connect with others that live far away or to just use it as a platform to express their thoughts and opinions, but there is a dark side that has haunted many people who have put a little too much trust in the social networking giant. From the common hacking of accounts that includes stealing account IDs and passwords in exchange for money to the devastating mining of unprotected information, there are plenty of ways to become a victim in the cybercrime Facebook

world. Your birthday, phone number(s), email addresses or other forms of data can be used to the point of identity theft if the criminal is extremely crafty, which is becoming way too common. A website by the name of 24/7 Wall St., which is the self-proclaimed insider of insightful analysis and commentary for U.S. and global equity investors, did research on this very subject that was boosted by NBC News. The Nine Major Ways Criminals Use Facebook article by Michael B. Sauter, Adam Poltrack and Ashley C. Allen on the critically acclaimed website put into perspective how easy these crimes are to commit as long as the criminal has access to a computer and the ability to register for a Facebook account. If a crime linked to Facebook every 40 minutes in the United States does not raise a few eyebrows, then the unfortunate story that appeared in the headlines of British newspapers that traveled all the way to America about a 17-year-old girl named Ashleigh Hall being raped and murdered by a sexual predator, who found her and admitted to using Facebook in order to do it, should drop a few jaws. Murdered By A Man She Met Online was an article by The Huffington Post

that covered a story in England about the slain teenager. The sexual predator named Peter Chapman lured the young girl through the social networking giant. His fake Facebook profile attracted interest from 14,600 visitors, almost 3,000 becoming online friends and all of whom were females ranging from the age of 13 to 31, said Catharine Smith ,who followed the story. This unfortunate story about Hall may have happened all the way in England, but the bottom line is she was a girl on Facebook that was preyed upon. That can happen in England, Spain, France or the United States because Facebook is universal. Then the real question becomes, is this preventable? Could that horrendous event been avoided? HCC student Destiny FidalgoGeorge doesnt believe that Facebook is a necessarily dangerous thing, saying, Its how you use it. Common sense is key! It is all too common for people to blame things other than themselves. Is Facebook dangerous? Yes, but to a certain extent. Using it in moderation would be the best thing and keeping personal infor-

A student surfing Facebook. Photo by Jessica Brooks.

mation off your profile wouldnt be a bad idea, but one things for certain, Facebook is something that isnt going away soon and if people, especially in the younger generation, dont learn how to use it in a safe way, there will be unfortunate events frequently.

The staff of Horizons strives to give you the best possible newspaper possible but sometimes mistakes do happen and when they do we want to correct them as quickly as possible. In the March edition two articles slated for publication did not make it to the print edition. Leaving your Legacy and Guns on Campus: How Do We Prevent School Shootings will appear in the April edition with our sincerest apologies to our readers and the authors of these articles. As always we appreciate your comments, questions and suggestions. Always feel free to email Horizons Editorial Staff. We are grateful for your loyal readership. Sincerely, David Weidenfeller Editor in Chief

The Debate Continues

By Alex Rovello Staff Writer

Gun Control

HORIZONS News

ith the recent tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, as well as threats made at other Connecticut community colleges, such as Gateway and Manchester, the gun control issue has come to the forefront in our lives. From the dinner table to the shooting range, people everywhere are debating the pros and cons of gun ownership. They are thinking about the impact of weapons on the community, and wondering if the person standing next to them in the grocery store checkout line might have a gun concealed somewhere. Even students at HCC have been impacted by recent violent events. Parents and students alike are concerned about safety at schools everywhere. The rights of American citizens to bear arms have come under heavy scrutiny and this is the subject of serious debate. It seems that many citizens and lawmakers argue about what the issue actually is. Is it about owning a gun, about mental illness or about assault weapons? Whatever your position is, one question remains clear: something needs to be done. But what would be the best thing for society? Many citizens feel that they need, and have the right, to own a gun for their own protection or for sport. People feel their rights are being threatened based on the

acts of a few disturbed individuals. Some see stricter gun control regulation as more of a threat than the danger of the disturbed individuals. The Connecticut Citizens Defense League, a gun rights advocacy group, sponsored a rally at the state capitol in Hartford approximately one month after the Sandy Hook shootings. Scott Wilson, president of the CCDL, told the Hartford Courant, This is in response to the attacks and the assault on the Second Amendment. People want to let our voices be heard out here, before our rights are robbed from us, so this is entirely appropriate, especially with what were facing. Many people feel that their safety depends on having a weapon at their disposal. Lisa Davenport, of Durham, Conn., who attended the CCDL rally, told the Montville Patch, I am the wife of a first responder, and a mother. She carried a sign that read, Mom, wife, patriot, Christian, I own guns. Some individuals feel as if non-gun owners are being told that anyone who owns a gun poses a threat to the community. A local newspaper in Westchester County, NY, published a listing of local gun owners that included their home addresses. John Ruvo, one of the gun owners mentioned, said,I feel like not only was my right to bear arms jeopardized, but my

own right of privacy too. Kenneth Drescher, a long-time gun owner and advocate, freely admits that the permit application process is flawed. Drescher stated that, Getting a permit is too easy and they really dont take under consideration ones mental capacity. He continued, It almost seems that unless youre in an actual mental facility, you can get one. You can even order a gun online, with very few questions asked. As weve seen in the Sandy Hook shooting, as well as in the Colorado movie theater incident, both individuals had severe mental health issues. And in the case of Adam Lanza, while not the permit holder, he still had access to firearms from his mothers collection of weapons. Both shooters had experienced mental instability, witnessed by educational professionals and individuals who were close to them. Additionally, both men had experience and practice with shooting firearms before carrying out their massacres. In Connecticut, Gov. Dannel Malloy and state legislators have been debating the expansion on assault weapon bans. As a former member of the military, HCC student Chris Galli agrees with the potential stricter laws, even as an owner of the much publicized AR-15 assault rifle. He states, Acquiring it was fairly easy, especially because of my service and I do think mental background checks should be required, no matter what.

This is a sentiment also shared by Brandon Martins, a student who feels relatively safe but thinks that security can be better. He also added that while he doesnt think that civilians should own assault weapons, repossessing them is a violation of their owners constitutional rights. With gun regulation laws, people everywhere find it easy to disagree. But most people feel that responsible citizens should not have their guns taken away. Pat Durkin, a student at HCC, was very hesitant when asked what he thinks of assault weapons being in the hands of civilians. They have the potential to be very dangerous, but if you know what youre doing and no one is being hurt, then its fine. Proper training has to be required, he stated. When asked what he thinks should be done to prevent school/mass shootings, Pat said, It would help if there was an increase in security and stationed cops on school grounds. That might make an angry person think twice about trying to assault others, he said. There arent any clear-cut answers about what the perfect solution is to improve gun safety for the general public. The democratic process continues to work as people express their opinions and interpretation of the Constitution.

Previous Regulation:
According to the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, the State of Connecticut has the following regulations in place: - A permit to purchase rifles and shotguns is not required, but a permit is required to purchase a handgun. - Registration of firearms is required for rifles and shotguns, but not for handguns. - Licensing of owners is not required for rifles and shotguns, but is for handguns. - No permit to carry is required for rifles and shotguns, but is for handguns. - A two-week waiting period after the purchase date of a firearm is required for permits to be approved. - A criminal background check is not required for the purchase of a gun.

New Regulations:
In February, Malloy proposed a common-sense gun-safety proposal, which includes mental health and gun ownership. The proposal addresses, among other things, these major points: - The expansion of the assault weapons ban to include military-style semi-automatic firearms like the one used in Sandy Hook. - A limit on magazine capacity so that semi-automatic weapons would no longer have the ability to fire dozens of bullets without having to reload. - A requirement that each and every gun purchase include a background check to prevent the purchase of guns by ineligible persons, particularly those with a history of mental health issues. - An end to the black market sale of guns, particularly in our largest cities, where the vast majority of murders with firearms occur each year.

HORIZONS News

Students Welcome Club Day at HCC

By Latisa Pacheco Staff Writer

rom photography to fashion to biology, Club Day at Housatonic Community College on Feb. 7 had plenty to offer students, including 20 clubs. Representatives from the clubs attended the event to inform students about the choices available to them. Beacon Halls Events Center was crowded with tables, chairs, flyers and poster boards all neatly arranged. Students gathered around them, chatting amongst themselves and trying to decide on the number of clubs to join. With a look of excitement upon their faces and laughter echoing around the room, students grabbed gift bags with wrist bands, stress balls and other assorted items being handed to them. Art major Sergio Escobar was eager

to explain the benefits of the Graphic Design Club, which meets Tuesdays at 11:45 a.m. in B229. We visited the Metropolitan Museum, the Bronx Zoo and Botanical Gardens, he said, mentioning that he gets inspired on every trip. I design logos and posters for other clubs in the school, Escobar said. His work led him to a work-study job doing what he loves after being referred by one of his professors. The graphic design team gets together once a week to brainstorm ideas about their next project and plan trips and events. Kimaya Bramble and Nicole Lambros of the Human Services Club said, We help children who are affected by domestic violence, and buy gifts for them, such as goodie bags on Halloween because they are not able to go out. These women do not stop there; they

also work with Miracle House, who extend their accommodations to women who recently got out of jail, providing them with temporary housing and meals. Bramble and Lambros make sure they have goodie bags with all the feminine products the recently released women need. The Human Services Club, which holds meetings on Wednesdays at noon, also plans blood drives. Bramble said that most of the donated blood are not from the tri-state area, but from people living in the West Coast. The Black Student Union focuses on education, community involvement, entrepreneurship and rallies. The members of the BSU protest for people like Chavis Carter, a Jonesboro, Ark., man police said shot himself in the head while handcuffed in the back of a police car. Although the case was ruled as a suicide, members of

the BSU want to send a message to the community and government officials to put a stop to senseless crimes. Like all clubs at Housatonic, the Black Student Union receives $1000 per semester from the Student Activity Fund. Several members from the student clubs said that the money is being put to good use, as members become leaders and individualistic passions play a role in the contributions made to society. In fact, students gain a greater prize: accomplishment. To learn more about student life, students can visit the Student Activities Office in BH317, check out the HCC online calendar for upcoming events, or visit http://www.hcc.commnet.edu/resources/ StudentActivities/clubs.asp.

Illegal Music Brings Slower Internet

By Joshua Hamel Staff Writer

ll that music that you have, that you know you shouldnt, is under attack. When you are downloading that music, you might be a target. The catch is that after a person is targeted, it is up to the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to follow through. When all the details come to light, the fact stands that it takes a lot of work to make it run. The owners of the content first have to find it in these websites. Then they have to report it and the ISPs have to make sure the content was protected. Then notices get sent out and tell the people they are doing something illegal. When they do not listen, the internet will be slowed down for that user. The flaw to this is that people can get targeted falsely and might

just get passed through. This is why the system has an Independent Review Process to look over appeals. The cost, however, for filing an appeal is $35. It will be returned to you if you are successful, but it is still money you need to initially pay. All of this information comes from the copyright information website. Jerry Pia, a copyright lawyer, said the laws this system pulls from include The Copyright Act of 1976. Section 106 speaks of the rights of a copyright owner. These rights have to be infringed upon for this system to take effect. These rights lay the groundwork on what is unacceptable and punishable. The reason this agreement has come to pass is because the websites could not police their own domains and so they are being used to infringe copyright. The law eventually allowed them immunity from

prosecution so long as they did not help advance the infringement. Pias thoughts on this subject were clear. I was unaware that this agreement was happening but I can see how it might make sense with the laws already in place, he said. This agreement tales it a step farther and helps cut down on the activity on their sites. There are more important things out there. It is good, but it is not relevant to the world now. I mean, I dont even know how to do it or even where to find it, Christine, an HCC bookstore employee who asked that her last name not be used, said. She feels that it is not that big of a deal considering that we have more difficult issues to discuss. It slipped past her knowing with more important things in the news and so she felt it would not matter.

I would not even know where to go for that stuff, let alone do it. Christine doesnt even know how to illegally download music so she felt it did not matter to her. However, she did compare it to something she did know. It sounds like the Napster shut down idea. The system builds upon the laws already in place and expands the bubble that will be policed. This system sounds like it would be solid on paper but Pia said it might be useless. When these laws came out, companies were doing the same thing and were sending thousands of letters a day and there was no room for all that paperwork. It solved nothing and continued to happen. Looked at in this light, one would wonder how this is different from what these ISPs are trying to do.

HORIZONS News

Front-line Equality
By Katelyn Avery Editor

he front lines no longer have a gender requirement. U.S. military leaders have decided that women can fight on the front lines within all the branches of the military. Women on the front lines of the Army is a main concern. As women prepare to occupy a new territory, two military females decided to dish in on the subject. From 2000 until 2008, HCC student Eunice Ramirez was a Combat Medic-91 Whiskey. Ramirez had this to say about women in the Army: Absolutely, we are just as essential as men. We should real-

ize women have been fighting on the front lines. Way before the U.S. military leaders allowed us to fight in a combat zone women were doing it during the Civil War.

Candace Naude has been serving in the Army since September 2010. Naude is a Specialist Promotable, and she also agreed that women should be on the front lines.

To learn more about Military Sexual trauma (MST) go to www.WIMSA.Gov

Ramirez is for equality, but safety is also taken into consideration. When questioned about men and women in separate barracks, Ramirez said, I believe men and women should have separate barracks because of the prevalence of Military Sexual trauma (MST). Naude had this to say on the barrack situation: I spent ten months downrange at a COP (combat outpost) in Kandahar, Afghanistan. For a long while, I was the only female out of about 250 male soldiers. I was given my own tent and living quarters. I was fortunate enough to spend my

deployment with an incredibly good group of soldiers. While optimistic, Naude still showed some concern over gender issues as she added, I am the exception, not the rule, because, in most cases, males overseas are dangerous. Some get lonely and try to search for attention from the females. Others simply force themselves onto females until they get what they want. Naude may not have experienced any assault while overseas, but she was not ignorant to such cases. However Naude wanted citizens to know There are good soldiers out there, but the bad ones always ruin it for everyone else.

HCCs Annual Criminal Justice Career Fair 2013

By Kathryn Hanrahan Staff Writer

n Wednesday, March 27, Housatonics Criminal Justice program held their fifth annual career fair. It was an event that took a few months in order to put together. Professors Samantha Mannion and Joanne Anzenberger started sending out emails to local police departments and colleges in the area that hold transfer agreements with HCC back in January. The turnout was excellent, with more participants than the year prior. More students got involved, and Criminal Justice club members like Matt Robinson, Carlos Guaman, and Christine Jennings were on scene to keep things organized. Organizations involved in the event and getting it energized were the FBI, Department of Consumer Protection, Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, Amtrak, American Medical Response, as well as a number of local police departments. Many city and town police departments such as Bridgeport, Milford, Stratford,

For information on how you can get involved with CJ club activities, meet with Professor Samantha Mannion, Criminal Justice Department Advisor in BH-244 or Matt Robinson at matt.robinson.1675@ facebook.com.
Trumbull and Fairfield had intriguing displays that captured students attention. Though these officers had pertinent advice to give students, many were turned off once hearing that these departments arent recruiting new officers at this time. West Hartford is currently the only department in the search of new officers. CJ club President Matt Robinson said, I enjoyed speaking with the officer of West Hartford, I found him the most informative, also the information packets available were very detailed. Matt also touched on his enjoyment of speaking with the U.S Armys Military Police officers who were at the career fair. The National Guard had some equipment as props to bring in onlookers to their posting. Stamfords bomb squad and Amtrak brought in bomb sniffing K-9s that held a demonstration using an artificial bomb inside the HCC event center inside Beacon Hall. The scenario brought in many students majoring in studies other than the criminal justice program. Anzenberger and Robinson were excited with the outcome and success of the event. Housatonics CJ club has a small membership of 15 to 20 students this semester, though the CJ program has a very large student body enrolled. According to Robinson the event brought in students inquiring about the club. About eight to ten fellow students asked me how they can get involved, says Robinson. Students Bianca Rosario and Christine Jennings commented on an HCC CJ club forum via Facebook that they enjoyed the career fair

but werent available for further comment. The Department of Consumer Protection was a big hit with students Steve Kish and Carlos Guaman. According to Guaman, Lead Specialist Pamela M. Brown was very friendly and professional. Brown was very informative about what her job entails. She works on forgery cases such as locksmiths forging keys to peoples homes. She spoke with me briefly on internship opportunities as a secret shopper in a way for her Hartford office. Being a police officer in your own community working with residents who attended the same high school as you or having to make an arrest of an individual you may know on a personal level is a stressor many prospective officers deal with day to day. Lieutenant Curtis Eller of the Stratford PD, who said that feeling is normal, and shared some of his experiences. When policing for your community you have to remember how to separate the job from your personal life, Eller said. Those words will be something all students looking into this profession must never take lightly.

Are We Really Going Green?

bins. Recycling bins are instead located in the cafeterias and throughout both buildings. Once Housatonic did have a club based solely on the environment named Friends of the Environment (FOE). With Professor of Mathematics Marina Philips as the advisor along with History Professor David Koch, FOE was a club focused on making Housatonic a greener environment. Starting in 2008, FOE was involved in many activities including but not limited to Earth Week, a week full of activities such as conferences and even movies. One of the highlights may have been a visit from Ian Cheney, producer/director of the documentary King Corn. The activities of FOE were not limited to educating the students at Housatonic about the importance of creating and keeping a green environment. FOE traveled to the Ansonia Nature Center, in Ansonia, Conn. Here they helped to build a bridge to make it safer for hikers, and participated in several other outreach programs. So where are they now? As with everything else, as time moved on so did the members of FOE. Philips explains that there were no officers to take over and unfortunately with all of her administrative duties, she cannot take on the project for FOE alone. She also focused on the importance of student involvement. [It] has to be delivered by the students and not just the advisor. Thus as of 2011, FOE no longer existed. Philips says she would love to start the club again if she had the help and when asked if Housatonic actually needs FOE she exclaims, Yes, of course. It helps to educate the students. However, Linda Bayusik, director of student activities will, once again, host a community day on April, 20. Philips hopes to attend this year as she did prior. Last year, we had a really big turnout, according to Philips. Despite the loss of Housatonics only environment-based club, there are other things and people who are working toward making Housatonic a part of Finchs Go Green mission; which entails making Bridgeport a greener and energy efficient environment. Director of Facilities Richard Hennessey has made sure that Housatonics equipment (including the light bulbs) are energy efficient. Hennessey has been with Housatonic since 1994. In 2008, fluorescent lights were installed in Beacon Hall, which, at the time, was the more efficient choice. So far the lighting in the hallways of Lafayette have been changed from fluorescent to LED bulbs. LED lighting lasts longer and are 60% more efficient than fluorescent. One step at a time, Hennesy is taking it, working within budget to make Housatonic a much more energy efficient environment. His future plans include changing the lighting throughout the entire Lafayette building, such as the public and sitting areas, then moving on to Beacon. Lighting and technology isnt the only way Housatonic has tried to become more efficient and green. According to Hennessy, any janitorial service that is employed by Housatonic must to sign a contract. This contract ensures that all custodians will use green chemical products, if available, to clean. It is imperative to promote green cleaning. This has been in effect for over three years. Besides this there are recycling contracts as well, which is obvious by all the recycling bins. However, despite all of his efforts Hennessy still believes that HCC has a long way to go. Pretty good so far, but could always be better, he says. He explains that support from both staff and students would make HCC a much greener environment by raising awareness and educating the students. Maybe a club or host certain activities. Housatonic has done its part as well to become a part of Finchs mission, however, as hinted there is still a lot left to do. With this being said, maybe it is time for FOE to reappear.

By Rebecca Legoute Senior Staff Writer n the spring HCCs courtyard is green with various flowers in bloom. Maintenance inside and outside the building are keeping Housatonic as clean as possible. However, what else has such a significant symbol of the community done to Go Green? High schools, middle schools, selected elementary schools and non-profit organizations, especially Groundwork Bridgeport, jumped on board Mayor Bill Finchs Go Green mission, planting trees throughout the city to meet the goal of 2,012 trees by the end of 2012. The change throughout the city is evident during the spring and summer seasons, truly making Bridgeport live up to its name, Park City. In an effort to truly make Bridgeport the park city that it claims to be, Finch launched an Executive Order, BGreen 2020. This order promotes green jobs and technology, decreases carbon emissions and other goals, along with Regional Plan Association. Evidently, Housatonic has jumped on the bandwagon. The courtyard is full of garbage bins, 18 to be exact, making it inexcusable to throw a wrapper or any sort of waste on the ground. While it seems to be a great idea, there arent any recycling bins next to these black and blue waste

HORIZONS News

Fight in HCC Cafe

By Elizabeth Figueroa Senior Staff Writer

wo male HCC students are suspended from campus until further notice for fighting in the Lafayette Hall cafeteria. Director of Public Safety Christopher Gough stated that the fight took place on Tuesday, Feb. 26 at approximately 12:30 p.m. HCC student Rejinee Reese said, There was a lot of shoving, chairs in the cafeteria went everywhere! A table also fell over and they were both on the floor. The police report indicated that the cause of this fight was over a chair. It started with a verbal altercation that quickly led up to a physical one. Gough did not charge the students with assault but simply handed

the punishment over to the Dean of Students. Dean of Students Dr. Avis Hendrickson said, College is not a place of physical fighting. There should be a different way of fighting. Fight through our limitation to grow as an individual but not physically. You should fight to be the best you can be. Many students were unaware that there even was a fight taking place in the cafeteria. Once they found out, students were shocked. HCC student Christian Garcia says, They should get expelled because that is very immature, we are in college! The Policy on Student Conduct, found in Appendix I, Section 3 of the HCC handbook talks about refraining from conduct that can cause danger to anyone that is in the college. On page 122, in Section 4 under Sanc-

tions it says, The prior conduct record of a student shall be considered in determining the appropriate sanction for a student who has been found to have violated any part of Section 3 of this Policy. A sanction is a penalty that has regard to disobeying or breaking a rule. In violating this policy, depending on how extreme the situation is, students can be suspended, expelled, removed from college privileges, put on probation, given a warning, or placed on community restitution. College is a place to grow and learn how to interact with others. Fighting on the job would result in termination, so that should also apply in college. Students are now working toward a successful career, and in order to get there they have to practice communication skills and

boundaries. Fighting is not acceptable and will be addressed by security personnel as well as the Dean of Students. Depending on the severity, criminal charges can be put on ones record. No one wants to have a criminal record after graduating college, a good-paying career is much better. Dominic Jurkoswki says, If someone wanted to fight me in school I would walk away because I wouldnt want to jeopardize both of us getting expelled. Smart decisions can be made before a fight breaks out, think before you actions and if you feel offended try and resolve it respectfully and verbally. Treat others how you would want to be treated and by following school policies will help you to be successful now and in the future.

Photobooth Memories
By Elizabeth Figueroa Senior Staff Writer

white box on wheels: it looks just like the photo booths in the mall. As students rallied up around it the line was endless to take pictures. This feature was from Simplified Entertainment in Skaneateles, N.Y. Zack Lauricella, a company employee, drove five hours the day before to make sure the photo booth was delivered on time. Lauricella said, It plays music aloud! Check it out! A button is pressed and it feels like being at a party inside the booth. A white curtain is used to enclose people on

both sides so it feels more intimate. The booth contains so many fun borders that make for silly pictures. Borders it contains include a wanted sign for $5,000, hearts, stars, different colors, best friends, and an anniversary frame. If someone wanted a new hair dye, they had the opportunity to pick from five different styles. The photo could also be simple but cute with a black and white or sepia frame. The photo booth is so convenient and easy, Lauricella said. It takes five minutes to set up. Lauricella did not have to carry a bunch of props with the booth to make for a cool picture. There are so many categories to choose from: hats all the

way to big glasses and a mustache. If someone wanted to go back in time and be a baby, they could, or even if they dreamed of being an astronaut they could make it come to life! The booths 16 megapixel camera has a 4G Verizon hotspot for fast and accurate uploads to email, Facebook, and Twitter. Once done with their creative photo shoot, students had the choice to print out 4 x 6 photos or photo strips. Each photo came with two copies: one for the student and a friend. Simplified Entertainment charges $2,500 for four-and-a-half hours to use their machine. The photo booth was in the

Lafayette cafeteria from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. HCC student Nate Green said, The photo booth was an awesome idea for school friends to get together and build memories. I liked it a lot. The Student Senate came up with this idea and agreed it would be appreciated. Director of Student Activities Linda Bayusik said, We can do it again in the fall depending on if the student senate wants it. Jhon Vergara said, They should do it again. It was a lot of fun!

Students Helping Students At HCC

By Myranda Sinkler Staff Writer

ight student actors came to HCC on Thursday, March 21, to teach the students some life lessons with interactive skits that explore how to deal with stress and life, according to Kelly K. Hope, Assistant Director of Student Activities. The group, called Looking in Theater, is comprised of students ranging from the ages of 16 to 18, with most of them being students from The Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts where the program originated. The group was brought to the college by Hope, who, after witnessing the production herself and enjoying it, felt it

Supporting Theater Arts

Actor. Writer. Whatever.
entertainment industry. Mellini Kantayya positioned herself in the middle of the stage in the PAC, where she spoke about her book, the trials and tribulations of her writing process, and read a handful of the essays to the audience. The event was targeted towards writing and performing arts students. The newborn author spoke of many stories from her time in college with a difficult acting teacher which detoured her love for acting. Kantayya also told the audience of her trip to Ethiopia with her husband and their journey in adopting their daughter, and many encounters with condescending remarks towards her career. The stories Mellinni Kantayya presented to the audience all held the same underlying message of determination. Although this author has had a difficult time in the industry of performing arts, Kantayya says, Its just what I do, its like drinking your coffee in the morning. Mellinni explained to the audience in different ways that she has wanted to stop writing, performing, and producing screenplays on many different occasions but what brings her back is always the love of her work and that if she can make someone laugh by telling one of her stories it is a power like nothing else in the world. Kantayya, now living in Brooklyn, having attended a Connecticut community college herself, told the audience that she can see so much diversity in community colleges which she feels widely enriched her education. The young author has future goals to write more books and even produce a childrens educational television show in the years to come. Mellini Kantayya left the audience with her final remarks to not take rejections which you suffer personally, and being able to gain satisfaction in what you are doing. Although the PAC may not be commonplace for all students it is found to have an overflow of knowledge and inspiration for students of all backgrounds and career paths.

would be something the students of HCC would be interested in. I was enlightened to some of the biases and misunderstandings I have even as an administrator, says Hope. This is beneficial to HCC because we are a diverse community. The students put on at least a dozen short skits that went over common issues that students might face upon entering college such as drinking, drugs, unprotected sex, and self harm to name a few. Some of the pieces were very serious and some were lighthearted, and although they were short they sent a powerful message. In between the acts they would have a question and answer period facilitated by Jonathan Gillman, the theater department

chair at The Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts. This production is tailored to what a typical freshman at a residential college might face, says Gillman. The questions and answers were done in character, where the actors went into detail about what their characters were feeling, their backgrounds, and why they responded the way that they did, providing some insight and a refreshing look into the minds of kids these days. The presentations struck a chord with many audience members who have gone through these issues or have children who might be encountering these issues currently. One such touched individual was Dawn Manely, a member of the Student Senate

at HCC. I found the performance very informative and they explained the issues very well, says Manely. I only wish more people would have come. The Looking in Theater performers played two shows Thursday, one at 5 p.m. and the other at 7 p.m., where they were able to showcase their talents as well as their frustrations about how many issues face students currently and how difficult it can be to manage them. Hopefully someone going through a tough time can relate to these student portrayals and seek the help they need.

By Emma Tecun Staff Writer

he theater arts program at Housatonic is doing much more than many students or faculty may be aware of. Every week in the Performing Arts Center an event is hosted for about an hour which invites a wide range speakers to talk of the field and profession. The Thursday before Easter, HCC welcomed Mellini Kantayya. Kantayya, the author of Actor. Writer. Whatever. has recently released her new book which has been in the works for a total of four years. The book is compiled of personal essays in which she describes her rise to the top of the bottom of the

HORIZONS

10

HORIZONS News You Can Use

arts & entertainment news you can use o

Be Skinny
says Society
By Sherly Montes Editor

etting fit and looking good has been a popular topic so far in 2013. But does this sudden health kick have the potential to go wrong? With so much pressure in the media to look a certain way and be what society considers beautiful, it can often distort the perception of beauty and being fit. Society has the ability to make girls think they want to be super skinny like the models and actresses they see on TV. Wanting to be skinny can cause girls to go about it in an unhealthy manner, which can lead to other problems. Amber Ramirez, an HCC student said, Yes its important to be fit because it gives you confidence. Youll definitely feel better about yourself in a bikini in the summer if youre not overweight and jiggly! Ramirez goes on to stress the importance of being fit, not just wanting to get skinny: Be fit. Not skinny. If a person wants to get skinny then they should do it the healthy way. Eat right and exercise. Theres nothing wrong with wanting to look better and get in shape, if thats what you want for yourself. But of course not everybody can be swayed by popular media and tabloid headlines. Not everyone needs to make be skinny their 2013 goal because theyre completely happy with the way they look and who they are. HCC Student Nikky Ramos said, Maybe I cared about what people thought about me when I was like twelve, but now

I dont care what people think about me as long I like how I look. I dont need to be skinny and model thin. Society thinks that beautiful is being skinny and looking a certain way and people just go with what society accepts, like before, being bigger was good and now society says that being skinny is good. Being confident in who you are can definitely help shield you from letting the media get to your head and change how you view yourself. But many times when youre at a younger age and youre still trying to figure out who you are or who you want to be, you can allow yourself to be swayed by people around you. In high school it was always a contest of who was the skinniest, said HCC student Shaye Staurovsky. There was pressure from my friends to be skinny and everyone was always trying to diet because society wants pretty, skinny girls. If youre overweight you arent considered pretty. Often in society theres pressure around you to look a certain way or to wear certain clothes of a certain brand. You notice that there are millions of advertisements with the same type of model, the same type of look or the same type of style, and we tend to buy into those things. It even comes down to clothing stores, said Staurovsky. Stores dont make bigger sizes and you have to be small to fit into anything sold in popular stores. Wanting to be healthy is a good thing but wanting to be skinny might

Society pressures you to think you have to be skinny. Photo By Sherly Montes.

not be as good. I think when people say they want to be skinny, theyre doing it for the wrong reasons like to get the guy they like, to look hot or to be able to wear a bathing suit in the summer, but when youre trying to be healthy it doesnt necessarily mean wanting to lose weight. Staurovsky said, Now in college, being skinny isnt as important and were all coming into ourselves and being comfortable with ourselves. Were setting up our lives and realizing this is the deck weve

been handed. If I could give advice to another girl right now that wants to get skinny I would say: As hard as it is, be happy with yourself. What you look like isnt going to matter in a few years. Being skinny isnt everything, it shouldnt be your goal in life. Focus on being fit and healthy instead because it will make you a happier person!

Dont Get Scammed!

By Rachel Kulikowski Senior Staff Writer

n this day and age, looking for a job is everything but quick and easy. Whether you are hunting for a part time job or searching for your full-on career, it can seem hopeless. Especially when no one in your area is hiring new employees. So what can seem like a promising solution? The Internet. The World Wide Web can provide you with many job options that dont even involve you leaving your house. This is something that can make your job search a little less hectic and leave you with more options than just searching around the area you live. Some websites contain areas where potential employers can post classifieds for job openings. There are sites such as Backpage.com, Geebo.com, or the very popular Craigslist.com. According to Craigslist, more than 2 million new job listings are posted each

month. When looking at the websites job section, tons of links come up. People are looking for pet groomers, dishwashers, sales associates, even web designers and internet experts. As you look through the advertisements, many of them describe what they want in a job candidate. Some have phone numbers you can call or places to send your resume. Like most things on the Internet, the job search can be scam. Anyone can post something that looks like a promising job offer. People can usually spot scams quickly, but thats not always the case, especially if someone is very desperate for some type of job. In some cases, it can be difficult to even get a response from these ads. A high school student visiting HCC, Emily Aquilino, talks about her experience using Craigslist to find a part-time job. She explains, No one called me back, it was a waste of time. She also said that after potential employers had not called her back she felt that looking

for jobs on Craigslist is not always a safe thing to do because you cannot always trust them. When someone does end up answering you, there are definitely precautions to take. A college student at the University of Connecticut, Victoria Outhouse, describes her experience with trying to find a job on Craigslist. She said, I was looking for any type of job I could get. I found an administration job for a personal art gallery. Once I got the job I noticed that the person hiring me sent emails that just seemed odd so I looked into it. There was supposed to be a gallery in Fairfield, Conn., but when I googled it the gallery did not exist, when I googled the guy who was emailing me it said he lived in Texas. Outhouse also explains, Something you should always do when searching through these jobs offers is to definitely look into the person offering the job. Search them or their phone number to see if they are legit. Not all the jobs on these sites are scams;

just do research and know what to look out for. When looking at these job postings some look a lot more legitimate than others. Certain ones contain exact locations, addresses and have a link to their website. Others seem more sketchy, they only list a phone number and a first name of someone to contact, not even a location. Those are the ones to stay away from. If you do decide to answer a personal ad the best thing to do could be bring someone with you to be safe and let others know where you will be going. Also, if a job seems too good to be true to probably is. Be cautious, especially with job offerings that promise a huge paycheck for very little work. Also never send personal information or cash a check for anyone. All these things lead to trouble. As long as you are cautious you should be safe from scammers.

Visit HCC Online!

Curious about the services, courses, and programs at HCC? Go to http://www.hcc.commnet.edu, the colleges home page. From there you can navigate the various departments, search for courses, or follow links to other useful sites, such as MyCommnet and the HCC Foundation.

HORIZONS News You Can Use

Amanda Figueroa Staff Writer

How To Support A Woman Carrying Life

babys needs, Jennifer said. She did not know that there was a Womens Center located right here in HCC. The Womens Support Center is here to support the student body of HCC, said Catherine, who also asked that her last name be withheld, a staff member of the center. We give educational programs stemming from sexual harassment, emotional support and outreach programs that support the needs of various individuals. Also, we maintain a referral list of community resources, said Catherine. The services that the Womens Center offers are work-studies for students, volunteers and human services interns. Women gather in the center in group discussions that help support them in the areas that are most important to their everyday lives and goals, says the pamphlet for the Womens Center. A place to gather, share, learn, and support. Lectures about breast cancer, heart disease, cervical cancer and HIV/Aids have also been given by the Womens Center, which shows the many levels of support this resource offers. Just like the Womens Center, the Counseling Center in HCC is also there to help students achieve. When students just want to talk about personal or nonacademic concerns they can go to one of the counselors because they are here to listen. They can refer to outside agencies when necessary. Support centers are Lifecall, a center support for young pregnant women, Sunlight Home, a support group for pregnant women, the WIC program, Infants and Children and so much more.

Pregnancy

11

hen we graduated from High School, my boyfriend went to college and I started to work for a year before going to college, said Jennifer, who asked that her last name be withheld. But in that same year, she became pregnant by her boyfriend. To put more strain on the already difficult situation, she was living with her parents and her boyfriend was living on a college campus. Jennifer said, He visited her whenever he could or had time. While he was in college, he never bothered to call her, look for her and he was absent throughout her pregnancy. During my whole pregnancy I worked full time; to gain a good amount of money to buy the

The organization Planned Parenthood of Southern New England (PPSNE), which specializes in educational programs concerning sexual health, are most popular with young women that are seeking birth control or pregnancy testing. Being tested and treated for sexually transmitted diseases can also be done and that service is extended to men as well. With their professional development programs they train teachers, health educators, counselors, social workers and other youth-serving. The goal of the Planned Parenthood is to further the PPSNE mission by providing individuals with the information, resources, behavioral skills and motivation necessary to achieve and maintain healthy sexuality, says one of the Planned Parenthood pamphlets.

Housatonic Community College Makes Sense

By Myranda Sinkler Senior Staff Writer

ife is based on a series of choices. To go left or right, to stay or go. These choices define our lives and we are expected to make them at an early age. When we are young we are already expected to know what our future career is; which of course changes a million times as we get older. Thats what HCC is here for - to guide us while making the tough decisions. Decisions such as: How can I strive to make something of myself but still live my adult life? Students come to Housatonic to use it as a stepping stone to adulthood. At HCC students can come right from high school to ease the transition between worlds or come back to school later after taking a break to further their education. Community college is a great place to start when trying to get a degree because

its smaller and more intimate. The classrooms are smaller and the classes work around your schedule so you can have a life. Jamoire Johnson, 20, is a former HCC student. She took classes at HCC for two years, including the summer since she was 18. Johnson took all of the basic courses and switched her major many times; but thats what HCC is here for to help you make up your mind. I honestly dont know exactly what I want to be but I do know that I have the time to decide, said Johnson. First she wanted to be a doctor but now she wants to be a math teacher. Luckily she was taking a wide variety of courses so she didnt have that much extra work. She switched to the relevant courses and then was able to transfer to Central Connecticut State University, where she entered as a junior and is currently in her second semester.

Johnson credits her success to the classes she took at HCC and the help she received. Its different being away from home, but I feel like going to HCC prepared me for the four-year college experience, said Johnson. The same can be said for Melissa Senerchia, 25 who is a current student at HCC. Senerchia decided to attend school after taking a two-year break between high school and college. After a rough time she decided to get back on track, choosing to attend HCC. She felt like this school was the best option for her at this time of her life because it was local and cheap. Her major is accounting and she is planning on transferring to SCSU soon. Erica Torrez, 31, used to attend HCC but dropped out. Torrez plans on coming back in the fall working towards becoming a certified nursing assistant. Life got in

the way and she had to drop out and find a job before she really wanted to. She went to find a full time job at her local Dunkin Donuts, but after getting fired she decided to direct her life the way she wanted. I took my firing as a sign from God and decided that it was time to do me for a change, said Torrez. Probably the best part about HCC is that it is an equal opportunity college, as in without discrimination, which could be argued to be the appeal of community colleges in general. Its a place that is a proper stepping point that can launch you into any career that you want. You can be at any stage in life and still come to a community college and take classes and improve your life greatly. Its a convenience but at the same time a degree from from here will truly take you places, proving that community college is the right choice and makes sense, if you want to make something of yourself.

Helpful Librarians at HCC

By Katelyn Avery Editor

he Library staff waits patiently for students and their questions. Every semester brings in new students, but the staff of the library never stops helping those at HCC. Peter Everett and Omaa Ume-Ezeoke are HCC Public Services Librarians. They are in charge of library instruction. Everett and Ezeoke provide sessions on how to do things within the library such as navigating the academic databases. Ezeoke commented that it was important for students to ask for help because They are here to learn not just in their classes but to navigate the world. Everett and Ezeoke both wanted

Plaque outside of the library. Photo by Katelyn Avery.

students to be able to work with technology because it is a necessary skill. Everett said that the biggest asset to students was the resource desk. Students can also contact Omaa or me through email or phone, said Everett. This new phone/email option al-

lows students to get help beyond the resource desk. We can do a follow-up if we visited a class or if they [students] have research questions, said Everett. Evening and weekend Librarian Kathy Giotsas just wants students to know, The librarians here are helpful.

First year HCC Student Sabrina Lorch can attest to that. I have yet to have a bad experience. When I need help Im sure I can get it, said Lorch. Giotsas, Everett, and Ezeoke just want to help students with problems such as navigating the academic databases, finding a book, or doing anything else related to the library. Giotsas made it clear that they understand some students may need extra help. Some students may not be American-born, so they dont know the library system, so we help them out, said Giotsas. Whether students have used a library before or not, they are encouraged to ask for help. Any student wishing to use the library can find the library hours in Lafayette, outside of the library near their display cases.

Horizons is on facebook!
Visit the Housatonic Horizons facebook fan page to read the latest about whats going on at HCC as well as articles you wont find in the paper, and to send us links, comments, and suggestions.

12

HORIZONS Opinions

A Violent Culture Must Confront Itself

By Neil Knox Staff Writer

he very term Gun Control is at best, a misnomer. At worst, the term brings to mind the horrific acts committed all too frequently in American society of late. Lets face it, we are a violent culture. Gun violence is as much a part of American culture as baseball, mom, and apple pie. It has left an indelible mark on our nations history and shows no sign of easing. It seems to be reaching a crescendo. The public and gruesome execution of an American president, followed by the murders of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy were not enough to enact effective change in our national gun policies. Of course, the political rhetoric and cries of outrage followed, but in reality after all the noise died down nothing of any real substance took place. Only security procedures were changed. After all, how can someone bent on causing harm to another be stopped or anticipated? This seems to be the same strategy taking effect today after the heinous crimes committed in Newtown, Aurora, Colo. and Virginia Tech, just to name a few. However, it appears that these acts are just a symptom of a much greater malady affecting America today. This nation is suffering from a progressive self-induced disease. We are murdering our own at accelerating rates and if you believe that a politician or a political pundit will offer a solution, think again. We must look to ourselves and at each other and realize that in the long run addressing other issues, such as mental health might be the first step in a fair and common-sense approach to help put a stop to the madness. We are, for the most part, a nation of gun lovers. We are also a nation of angry disgruntled individuals as well. Combine the mental health crisis in America today with a national obsession with guns and that is a sure-fire recipe for ongoing disaster. Americans are losing homes at a record pace as foreclosure rates soar. Unemployment rates are at the highest level since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Workers find their pension funds are being pilfered. Veterans returning home from active duty abroad find that their

government has enough wealth on hand to bail out some of the largest financial institutions in the world, but they cannot be provided with the basic services to which they are entitled. The national poverty level teeters at almost 20 percent. All of these factors contribute to a nationwide discontent that is turning citizen against citizen. Would it be too much to add to this mixture a cultural inundation of violence in our music, our television shows, video games and the movies produced in Hollywood? Violent depictions once deemed too graphic for our young are now commonplace. These are not just being seen and weighed by adults; our children are exposed and impressed. The value of a human life seems to have been relegated to points on a video game scoreboard. Are our children being taught the value and preciousness of human life or are they being subliminally taught something else, that a human life is of no real substance at all. For every rational solution presented there comes the antithesis. Second Amendment rights activists will jump and shout that your government wants to disarm the populace and institute tyrannical rule. Some organizations like Gun Owners of America and the National Rifle Association reaffirm these thoughts ad nauseum. Never underestimate the political influence these groups yield over the political process. Guns are big business in America. This nation will never enact laws that will grind this industry to a halt. Too much money is involved, too many pockets are being lined. So the solution

Photo Courtesy of HeatherMG

must come from us. Of course every homeowner should have the right to defend her property and every parent should have the right to protect and defend his family. How they do so and the course they take to do so is their right, not just as an American protected under the Bill of Rights but as a human being entitled to protect and defend what is rightfully theirs. Any rational person knows the possibility of disarming all citizens who own and register legal firearms is not only impossible but unfathomable. However we must also realize that the fear tactics being employed by certain activist groups on both sides of this issue are not the solution either. Proper and continuing treatment for the mentally ill would be a proper start. Newer, more effective legislation preventing and sealing existing loopholes in our laws certainly wouldnt hurt. A return to children being taught the value of a human life by their most primary educators, their parents, cannot be underestimated .

Perhaps we should remind ourselves that selfishness and greed are not requirements of a responsible person. Enhancing available social programs and respectable treatment for those less fortunate could help alleviate some of that national anger and discontent. Maybe even a return to some basic religious fundamentals wouldnt hurt either, for after all we all are children of the same universe, and the better we treat each other, the better we will be treated in the end. We can help start the beginning of the end to this national and cultural dilemma. Real power comes from our heart and through our deeds. Not through the muzzle of a gun. That is for the takers in society, not for the givers and builders of a society. Whether they be legal or not, guns permeate our society. In essence it is up to each and every responsible citizen to accept the stark realities of what is happening on our national stage and demand an end to he madness from one another.

By Randall Munroe (xkcd.com)

XKCD: Bridge

HORIZONS Opinions

13

Leaving Your Legacy

By Elizabeth Figueroa Senior Staff Writer

uring my senior year in high school, I had the opportunity to be on MTVs Made with my sister Rebecca. My Made Coach Edwin Rivera was a phenomenal man who instilled in me what hard work really was. One thing he told me from the beginning was, When youre sleeping somebody else is working. He would constantly remind my sister and I about our dreams every day. I battled with myself internally when I was a teenager. The world around me was so demanding and it was saying I should be one way while my parents were telling me to be another. I was afraid to release the person that wanted to be free inside of me. As a result, I was doing poorly in school and began to question my abilities. My focus and path in life were too wide that I had no direction toward where I should go. Sometimes I would get so caught up in telling myself I cant, while everyone around me was saying, You can! I knew that I needed to change some things around in my life. My dad didnt go to college and my mom is just finishing up her bachelors degree in accounting. Both of my sisters have yet to graduate college and I hope that they do. I started asking myself what it was that I can do to inspire

people to become leaders and love life. My senior year of high school was my breaking point. It was now or never that I get my act together and start striving for something bigger than myself. Edwin Rivera would always ask Rebecca and me, What is it that you want to leave behind? We are at a time in our lives where its crucial that we start to search for who we are and what our deep desire is to be in this world. Now is the time more than ever for young people to take their dreams, goals, ambitions and run with them. We are so intelligent and capable of being so amazing. Ever since I was little, my mom would always tell me I can be whatever I want to be. That left me to wonder what should I be and how can I make a difference? Growing up as children we were always asked that infamous question: what do you want to be when you grow up? We shared our dreams from being a doctor all the way to an astronaut. We had a desire and a dream inside of us that we hoped to be when we got older. For some, that dream may still be there or it faded away. It is vital that we go after something we are passionate about. If we are not passionate about something, then we are not going to enjoy our career path. Going to school can be a challenge, especially with the distractions around you. Some people step away from it because

they fear big obstacles. They become comfortable working minimum wage, nine to five, and watch their lives pass them by. People like getting things handed to them. In order to get what you really want in life you have to get your butt up and go after it! When people see you working hard they will acknowledge your dedication. That right there is the first step to leaving your legacy. You dont have to be a millionaire to be honored and noticed for hard work. By surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals, you are already getting your credit. One problem nowadays is that young people are hanging around people who dont want that much for themselves. My mom has always told me to surround myself with positive people that will uplift me. She says, Be careful who you become friends with, people around you can bring you down, especially if they see the potential in you to be something remarkable. Its not because they dont like you. Its because they are jealous of how good youre doing. There is no reason to be jealous of someone else because when you watch them succeed youre only letting your own purpose pass you by! We are all unique individuals who were created to grow and expose the inner beauty of ourselves. Business Philosopher Jim Rohn says, There are four areas concerning Leaving

a Legacy that I consider to be fundamental; a life well-lived, principles to live by, the importance of a spiritual legacy and an impact legacy and a financial legacy. A life well-lived is one that you, no matter what, managed to put a smile on your face. What doesnt kill you only makes you stronger. If one thing knocks you down, adopt the mindset that the prize in the end is more glorious and keep pressing through! Not only is it important to grow naturally, but also spiritually. We cant lead onto our own understanding because if we do we wont be pleased and fulfilled with the end results. Going after your dreams is not easy; its probably one of the hardest things that you will have to achieve in life. In a world filled with entertainers, doctors, nurses, writers, artists, judges, lawyers, etc., what category do you fall in? What will you do to make it there? When you get there how will you try your best to over achieve and excel? A legacy is a gift that has been left to share and has prospered. No one should ever determine your future and where you want to be. If being a boxer is what you have always wanted to be, then go for it! Dont allow the people or even family around you to hold you back. They will either fear that you will get hurt or fear that will succeed and surpass. Every day should be a self-evaluation to do better and a new page of the admirations, truth and beauty you will leave behind.

How Do We Prevent School Shootings?

By Santiago Achinelli Editor

Guns on Campus

fter the tragedy at Sandy Hook, many people have been asking if it could have been prevented by a stronger firearm presence in the school. Some folks have even taken that idea to its logical extreme, and seriously proposed that school teachers be allowed to carry firearms in class. Is this addressing the right issue, or overlooking a larger problem? Heres a proposition that many people on the other side of the aisle make: Instead of trying to get teachers to deal with school shooters, should we consider creating an environment where people with sociopathic tendencies are taken care of professionally and/or subject to rigorous psychological testing before being permitted to own a firearm? Frankly, neither of these positions are tackling the right issue. Both of these positions do little more than use the massacre at Sandy Hook as vehicle for political agendas, whether its the pro-gun or anti-gun lobbies. How can we, as a school, look past the C-SPAN drudgery and find real, useful ways of keeping everyone happy? Or at least content enough to not shoot anybody? Lets take a look at Sandy Hook as a case study. As one of the most heinous acts of domestic violence in recent history, it warrants scrutiny by folks looking to make sure it never, ever happens again. Adam Lanza, the shooter who took the lives of dozens of children and teachers, as well as his own mother, was also an honor roll student. Lanza did not have any past history of violence or crime. Reports indicate that he was not mentally disturbed, but that he may have had Aspergers Syndrome, a form of autism that is fairly harmless and usually just colors the persons social abilities. His psychological state was not to blame - at least, this aspect of it was not. He did not own a single firearm, but was taught by his mother how to shoot, and took her weapons with him to Sandy Hook Elementary School. The implications here are very clear. This is not gang violence. It isnt even the actions of an aggressive-looking individual. This horrible act was committed by someone who, by societal standards, was an example of middle class values. The thing that separated Lanza from so many other

kids was the care afforded to him. I dont mean medical care, I mean caring. When someone is feeling depressed or rejected by society, the absolute worst thing you can do to them is leave them alone. As a watched pot never boils, someone who has a social net on which to fall on never cracks the way he did. How Do We Keep This From Ever Happening Here? I find that the answer is not distinctly a policy one, but a cultural one. We need to foster an environment where young men and women have emotional support from their peers. But how can we, as a student body and faculty, make this support happen? Church is the answer for some people. Many conservative politicos consider a lack of church attendance to correlate with a more violent society. I agree wholeheartedly, but I completely disagree with the notion that religion is the prime motivator for a more peaceful people. Community, not spirituality, is what we should be endorsing on a cultural level. Enough of these Wars on ___ nonsense, you cannot change a personality at the point of a bayonet. Real, meaningful change can only come from the persons interaction with their community, and how they see themselves relative to the bigger picture. So how does the average Joe or Jane help get this to happen? Simple, get up and ask someone how theyre doing. Seriously, put this paper down, look around the room (if youre alone, go find a crowded place, no cheating), find someone who looks like theyre having a tough day, and ask them how theyre doing. If we all do this, and we mean it when we say Are you okay? There will never come a day in which Housatonic has to experience a tragedy like Sandy Hook did. Is it any coincidence that many of these troubled youths choose to shoot up a school, not a shopping mall or any other heavily populated area? Our schools are where children learn their place in society, and how they fit with their peers. If you are full of anger, and under the impression that you do not matter to your peers or anyone else, what is to stop you from making the logical conclusion that their lives shouldnt matter to you? Its an even smaller step from that to homicide. The only cure here is prevention. And the best prevention is a caring thought and a warm smile for those of us who need it most.

14

HORIZONS Opinions

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I decided to read the article called Explosive Cup of Joe because I was wondering how a cup of coffee would explode and I want to learn more about what happen. I like that it talks about how the police handle the difficult situation and how HCC made new changes to keep students safe from harm. I would read Horizons again because I am curious about whats new at HCC. Sincerely, Amy Dagenais Hello Editor of horizons, My name is Justine N Gozan and I decided to read one of your article. The one I chose is League of Adventurous. I decided to read this article because of the title. When I saw the picture and the title, I wanted to know what was the article about. I liked the fact that the article is talking about a club and giving us an idea of the purpose and the clubs activities. What I disliked is just the fact that the article did not give us more details about how to get in contact with the club. I would read horizon again because it talk about student activities, also because I know that when reading I can be aware of some activities in school. Sincerely, Justine NGozan To the editors of Horizons, While I was glancing through the school newspaper, I decided to read the Snow Must Go On Article. The title of the article caught my attention, escpecially the picture of the car in the snow realyl grabbed my attention. I liked everything about the article, however I would have liked to see one more picture of the snow. Perhaps, a picture of the snow in downtown near the school would have caught my attention more. I would definitly read the school newspaper again. I would because the article was about the city that I live in and go to school. If all of the articles were about Bridgeport, Ct, I would keep reading it. Sincerely, Michael Benedetto Dear Editior, I chose to read the article that touched on Hip Hop and the impact it has on our society. The reason I chose this was becasue that is my favorite genre of music and I wanted to see what the writer had to say about it. I liked how she pointed out all the positives that hip hop brings because hip hop is always thought of as this really hardcore and offensive kind of music but if people were to listen to it theyd see that there is a greater meaning behind those rude and offensive lyrics. I feel like there could have been more examples of the artists because a lot of new artists kind of change hip hop by adding their own twist to the genre. I would read Horizons again because the titles really grab my attention and they all look very interesting. Nicholas Chirigos I read the Whats Coming Next Door To Campus article in the first issue of Horizons. I did this mostly because Im probably going to have to find a place to live soon, seeing as Im pretty much adult age and should move out of my parents house. What I liked about the article was that it provided a lot of information in this small amount of space about the area, showing readers the price range for the apartments and giving some students opinions on different aspects of the apartments, such as how conveniently close it is to town and the college. Something I disliked about the article, however, was the lack of visualization it gave on each of the rooms. Maybe a bit more colorful vocabulary or even a few more pictures could probably fix this. I would definitely read Horizon again, because it provides cutting edge news about the stuff I care about, the events that take place in Housatonic! Gilberto Mueses Dear Editors, The article i decided to read was Whats Coming Next Door To Campus?. What I liked about this article is that it gave some information about the what is being built because i was questioning it the other day. It gave the website and the prices of the apartment as well as some opinions of other students. I agree with some of the things those students said and i cant wait to see what is going to be put there. I would read Horizons again because it gave good information and good incite of what is going on in and around the campus. Nicholas McNamara

Got some news you want covered? Let us know! Write to housatonichorizons@gmail.com.

HORIZONS

15

16

HORIZONS Arts & Entertainment

arts & entertainment e

Finding A New Appreciation For Art
By Emma Tecun Staff Writer

Up All Night

n art exhibit displayed in Lafayette Hall at HCC displayed work inspired by insomnia which is exciting and different than any art exhibit our college has seen in the past. This exhibit at the Housatonic Museum of Art held artwork featuring Middletown artist Gil Scullion. Patricia Costeines, testing coordinator at HCC, actually invited Scullion back to Housatonic because she had a number of questions about the art exhibit and was quite excited about Scullions insomniatic inspiration. It was so exciting to see that he put such great detail into his artwork, said Costeines. Scullion used cardboard to create the very place insomnia is found, the bedroom, complete with a nightstand, lamp, bookcase, bed, and pillow. This artist answered questions and ex-

plained the art exhibit in great detail. He explained that he used the inspiration of a longing for something to fuel his artistic sense. In the brochures made up about the art exhibit, Scullion explains that he himself actually has suffered from insomnia in the past. According to the National Sleep Foundation ,about 48 percent of the population occasionally suffers from insomnia. Scullions artwork, like the brochure says, evokes the very core of insomnia. The artist explains in great detail that although his artwork is confronting the idea of insomnia, the exhibit also frames the story of humanity, and tries to highlight the compelling ambition to improve physical conditions amongst individuals. Scullions artwork is meant to bring about a desire for a better tomorrow. By becoming a better individual, Scullion believes this will create change and improvement in the world. The art exhibits which have been dis-

played at Housatonic have been always revolving to showcase different styles of artwork which is meant to educate audiences in new ways. Robbin Zella, The Director of the Housatonic Museum of Art says, The art exhibits which I try to bring to Housatonic are all meant to educate the students and faculty in some way. Zella explained that there has been a large fracture amongst the students and faculty being aware of the art exhibits and events which go on within the arts programs. Zella says, The gallery is a gem, and is, a public space to be private in. Because of a large disconnect with the arts programs, funding, and excitement among students, the arts programs in many schools have had to cut arts programs. It may be a reflection of the American culture, but how is a small director or an arts program supposed to battle a culture shift? These exhibits are displayed to encourage students and support greater thinking and understanding of artwork.

Artwork and exhibits in your very own community college can broaden your understandings and put art back in your life. The arts program may have had a decline in attendance, but this does not mean that the Housatonic Museum of Art has stopped trying to broadcast events and keep up with new social media. Little do many students know that Housatonic does in fact have its own Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr. These social media resources can be key to connecting students with free art exhibits and re-educating students and faculty of the importance of art appreciation. Housatonic is chock full of meaningful artwork and students should be interested and inspired about the artwork and exhibitions which are displayed throughout Housatonic. A number of exhibits are brought through the college each year and each with a purpose to enrich students with knowledge and culture.

HORIZONS Arts & Entertainment

17

The Ghosts Will Walk

By D.C. Weidenfeller Editor in Chief

es, they walk among us, here on campus, they share our hallways, our library and bathrooms. Once in awhile they may even be blessed with a couple dollars to buy something to eat in one of the cafeterias. They may appreciate the art on the walls with us and possibly, if circumstance allows, share a classroom with us, sitting next to you in Biology or English. The homeless are who I speak of here. I know where they sleep and where they gather among their own kind. But most importantly, I know where they go to get help. The following is the first part to a story about the homeless individuals who gather near Housatonic Community College, under the Route 8 overpass on John Street, every Sunday. Many of them come to HCC to relax and read a newspaper, or simply seek asylum from the cold. My endeavor is to shed some light on the homeless of Bridgeport. They are not ghosts just because they do not look like the stereotypical bum, they are people just like you and me. WHERE & WHEN Its cold and the air is crisp causing the breeze to nip at any exposed flesh, breath thick as smoke as we exhale. The snowfall totals for this winter are not extreme, no lofty levels of the white stuff piled in the corners of strip mall parking lots, but nonetheless, old man winter is a mother-

fucker, and it feels like father time walks much too slow. It is grey overcast making the sky a moving swath of grey, not those super soft and puffy cotton candy clouds that occasionally hide the sun on a blazing summer day. No, the world above is indiscernible from any direction as if the earth was entombed in a thick rolling cloud cover, dark with frigid moisture. Lucky for us that old man pays us a favor this day, and spares us another day of falling sleet and snow, in our eyes in the holes of our clothes and felt in our bones. Weekdays are hard and Saturday is harder yet, but Sundays Sundays are the hardest of all. The bland hospital like rooms of local drop-in centers are empty and dark lit only by red exit signs, the crowded soup kitchens with their giant coffee urns and steal finished equipment sit idle until the Sabbath concludes its homage to the Lord; with the exception of dinner at the mission a number of hours from now. While the rest of the world still rest a lazy morning away between warm inviting flannel sheets and puffy pillows we walk along the cold frozen streets. Some of us, those with a couple greenbacks to spare (a crumpled wad of tattered and soft one dollar bills and a handful of loose change is never enough to really spare) spend time on the warm side of the window at Dunkin Donuts downtown on the corner of Main and John with a warm cup of premium food service grade coffee and sometimes a newspaper, usually the previous days edition of the Connecticut Post or New York Daily News left by one

of them in a rush to do whatever it is they do during the course of their pleasant self important lives. We are seen and unseen. Some of us venture a block or so further down to hide out at the bus terminal or train station just past the Holiday Inn, picking cigarette butts from ashtrays when passers by refuse to indulge their habit by simply handing over a smoke, while the industrious sit and break cigarette butts open and roll their own. Tobacco is a commodity to us and a common denominator to both sides. The salty dry air off the sound coming up the channel and into the harbor remind us why life is tougher by the sea with skin chapping diligence. Others wander the bus or train platforms panhandling, with sincere desperation dissolve through their unkempt faces spotted with dirt and a weeks growth, brown and grey over dry skin wrinkled with sadness and age before their time. Sometimes, depending on the security shift, a short uncomfortable but warm catnap is taken, before being woken up, by a stealthy security guard, SECURITAS embroidered on dark grey and black uniforms and matching baseball cap, roaming the transportation hubs lobbies like kings in their keep. It is a fact that any person charged with peacekeeping has that frustrating ability to see us, to take notice who among us is still around just in a different black and yellow coat or tally the newcomers, mental notes on behaviors and rule breakers. There is always the option of warmth and free coffee and eats at the A.A. meet-

ing, if you can stand the verbal vomit and poly-sincerity of the know it alls, however sincerity is usually more insisted on then just a welcoming gesture here. Those of us who do dream of alcohol free days enjoyed without sticky-finger bottle hand and arrest warrants tend to keep the riffraff to a minimum, though failure is imminent soon there after. The rest meander side streets and parks surrounding the downtown area, void of signs of other human activity and suffer the cold. Others still, find solace in building alcoves and empty parking garages and the occasional abandoned parcel of real estate, usually in a state of disrepair, but a shield from the winter elements. We find our spots and dig in for the time, but no one goes far. It usually starts around 10 a.m. give or take ten minutes or so. The John Street Migration, a Sunday institution for many years and will continue for as long as we are here. A walk of dreadful shaded shame for some, usually the newbies still clean and unfamiliar to our ways but for others it is just another Sunday morning For those of us who made the trek down town, the walk to the John Street underpass is one made on a daily basis. Up from Main Street passed Courtland Street with the back of the Connecticut Post offices to the left. Just another twenty-five yards and it is here we will gather for the next few hours. Placed just out of downtowns grasp and a kings foot short of the West Side. Continued on Page 18

The Homeless gather for offerings under the John Street Bridge. Photo by. D.C. Weidenfeller.

18
Continued from Page 17 A section, a piece, a swatch, a forgotten courtyard to a city block framed by two main life maintaining arteries crossed by two lesser but widely traveled side street. It emits loneliness and is void of any emotional content. A barren, bland urban desert within the steel, glass and concrete of civilized land; what buildings are there are left to melancholy existence, used but taken for granted. Some partially vacant others totally absent of companionship both expressing their pleas FOR LEASE PLEASE CALL 203-#&*-@$&!, it is a lonely, ghostly place. Continuing the final steps up the street the old abandoned AT&T building stands solemnly to the right with a small organic area filling in the space between the building and the Route 8 / 25 Connector. The trees are wiry and bare, and the pine trees are thinning and semi tangled in brown dead vines. The cement retaining wall of the underpass stands impiously behind the smearing of winter stressed vegetation. The other side of the underpass is nothing but an open space, a vacant lot left out of the industrializing games like Cinderella on prom night. Unnoticed just like the souls who gather here. The Cabinet Makers shop has a fenced off entrance to the shop on John Street right next to the underpass, cutting a small paved stripe along the underpass and the abandoned lot. People use this muddy littered space for parking (there garbage is quite abundant in their relentless assault on that which is not there to kill) when grabbing an item at the dollar store across the street or trying to find the Connecticut Post Publishing building, another border building to this invisible graveyard. The far end of the lot is the bodega and an apartment building. It is at this store some folk grab black milk crates, blue Pepsi cases or leftover paint buckets to rest their weary ass cheeks on down at the Bridge. It is here where we go on Sundays. Gathering like pigeons waiting for crumbs, we mingle surrounded by fellow members of the club. The underpass, our encampment for the moment, half a block at best in length, and twenty-five feet in height, give or take a few I-beams and steel supports coated in an almost tan color with an element of green. One of the main supports has PAINTED IN 1995 painted in military stenciling. The walls are weathered dark concrete, with graffiti covering white primer in various stages of age and application, but all chipping. Oxidized particles and dirt have stained the walls like

HORIZONS Arts & Entertainment

dried rusty blood patterns found at a crime scene, from mere trickles to the horrific. The base of the walls and the sidewalks meet in a thick grime composed of only god knows what. The remnants of last summers weeds linger at the base also among cigarette butts, smatterings of glass shards the occasional set of works (hypodermic needles used by junkies) and whatever else the wind may blow in which complete the filth mosaic. Some choose to stand in the solid cover of the highway others prefer the open space above them like a massive Department of Transportation skylight separating the high speed traffic. The semi constant hum from the car tires as they cruise the pavement of the connector above, only brought out of rhythm by them bumping the seams of the bridge, hmmmmm bmp bmp hummmmmmm bmp bmp. To many of us this can sometimes be as therapeutic as any meditation compact disc playpoor decision-making. The drunks are much the same, and sometimes worse. Many elders solely depend on the charity of others for money, food and clothing. Hand to hand donations and lost and found on the ground. Urine soaked and stained three and four times over; the smell sometimes permeates the stinging cold air. The ammonia can bring tears to frozen eyes. They sit on their borrowed milk crates with their weekend stash between their legs and a few loose cigarettes happily donated by the bodega guy who already illegally sold them a 40oz. Hurricane or maybe St. Ides at double the price. How they get the money for all the booze is a mystery. They gather around a makeshift table make from a five-gallon paint bucket with a piece of scrap plywood as a top. They play cards and dominos while others watch the action from their drunken stupor. They are usually not nearly as functional as the junkies, difference between the two is this; the non-medicated have the erratic behavior, sometimes confused for substance abuse, sometimes standing in one place for fifteen minutes having a conversation with Mr. Index Finger, or the wife that passed on back in the Reagan Administration due to a car accident induced by vodka and her get-through-the-day pill. Many are Vietnam War vets, clad in dank surplus camouflage field jackets still fighting a jungle war and this bridge, in this moment, is their protective bunker. The tamed one blend better because of their controlled symptoms and will go about their business the best they can. They have a more generic appearance traveling between worlds, but still dwell in our darkness. The Unknowns, a younger species here, look quizzically around at the scene unfolding in front of them. Having recently crossed over it is disturbing to see what was ignored up until that point. It is uncomfortable to the Unknowns to be receiving basics from strangers under an underpass in the middle of winter, and would still be strange had it been summer. They are usually with a bag of belongings hanging from their shoulders or back. They cling desperately to the life they had on the other side seeking all they cannot have. They are here because they have no choice and follow the advice of someone they have met along their road to nowhere. They are Unknowns because whether they stay here with us or resurrection occurs and they return to them on the other side has not been forecast until then they dwell with us in a state of limbo learning the ways and customs. For some this is all they know. They grew up knowing the streets because their parents grew up knowing the streets, and so on. A small number are here because they just dont deal well living among the mainstream. It pains them to see the state of the world and humanity. So they remove themselves from it completely, or at least as much as they can. They are here for only as long as they need to be and then leave as purposefully as they had come. They live as freed individuals with us keeping a certain balance within the community. We are all different, but we are all the same. We all exist but are never seen, it is too painful, for them to admit we exist right along side. Sometimes people stare, its curiosity at its worst, it contains judgment dripping with repulsion. Anger can lash out too, smacking us to our knees for just a second of your time. Ghosts in your community, wistfully roaming in a world with in the bigger picture so few people see.

The mentally ill is always the hardest to see

ing during a warm vanilla scented bubble bath, surrounded with candles and flowers, yearning for a lover, yearning to be seen. WHO One by one and two by two, we languidly begin to show up to this our major destination for the day. In our selected areas under the bridge we huddle in our groups. First there was one then another, then another and two more. A class system highly mobile among the social classless begins to reveal itself. The invisible people, ghosts of society. The pills and the junkies, well they talk about last nights score, and the money making scheme for the day, trading, pills and little plastic bottles of methadone, released as a Sunday take home (home is a relative term among us), always worth their milligrams in cash. Little plastic bags passed back and forth containing blue and yellow and white and orange capsules and pills. Tagged baggies of grass find pipes and crumbled rolling papers or new pockets to occupy for a burn later on. They are ragtime professions, the hard core among casual users. Clothing usually consists of articles to big or too small, ripped and faded, stained and dirty. The smell is usually kept at bay by copious amounts of incense and Febreeze. Their faces are speckled with pipe burns and lesions from scratching too much, yet some retain a level of appropriate appearance, and even a respectable amount of functionality. Intelligence is not for lacking; just the misfortunes of and much less mobile. Once in a while walking downtown or one will hit me up for a dollar until realizing that I am in fact one of them I am not one of them. The mentally ill, is always the hardest to see. All doped up and walking around like something out of a George A. Romero film, pale grey white skinned, and eyes so empty they resemble the rare clouded marble. The state does what little they do, while they wait for any number of housing subsidies to open its waiting list, or for one to actually become available, both of which can take years. Fucking budget cuts. So they muddle around in their miss matched socks and donated underwear three sizes too big. And pants no better. Once in awhile they get a brand spanking new pair of walking shoes. I know it sounds frivolous, but a comfortable pair of walking shoes can make the difference between a cozy restful REM sleep in a sandbag shelter cot, and tossing and turning all night because of throbbing blistered feet. I do admit the mentals have it a bit easier than most as there are more drop in centers and social programs purposefully targeting the chronically affected, but still far, far short of what should be acceptable. Some of the mentals actually have a home to go to but feel more comfortable being with us. Stigma and ignorance is a major culprit in keeping our population growing. On Sundays it is somewhat easy to tell what mental is under state care and who is roaming free and untamed. The focal

By Joshua Hamel Staff Writer

The Other Side of Your Lens

people. Two people can go to the same places and come up with two different sets of photos. This makes for an interesting question: what is a persons favorite spot? There are thousands of buildings all across the city, but which are more coveted than others? These places hold a special place for some of the things they bring to the table. The buildings allow a specific vantage point. Suzanne Kachmar spoke of several photographers she has displayed in her gallery that take amazing photographs of Bridgeport. The first would be Michelle Beaulieu. She takes photos of what she sees and does not edit. She has a unique perspective of what she takes a picture of. This gives her photos an amazing look. Another amazing photographer she spoke of would be Morgan Kaolian. He is about 90 years old and takes aerial photographs. His photos were impressive enough that they got their own display event from Jan. 19 to Feb. 19 in 2011. He takes vast pictures of Bridgeport that show the beauty of the entire city, she said. Suzanne also spoke of different places she has seen submissions taken. The abandoned theaters of Bridgeport, Seaside Park, and the United Illuminating tower were popular ones that she has seen. Fireworks have always been a great spot for all kinds of photographs; Suzanne has a picture of fireworks that Michelle took and made her own. The gallery is located near HCC, which allows for many students to submit and take in the art. It is a quaint small gallery and very well put together. Liz Gaito spoke of a photo she has seen about Bridgeport that captured her heart. There was a fire inside an abandoned building and the way the fire reflected against the wall made me feel such deep heart. The building could invoke such feelings in any number of people and each would have a different reaction to it.

he different pictures of Bridgeport that I have seen show many lights, from the aerial view at night-time, to a simple statue in a park; the images are many, explained Suzanne Katchmar of City Lights Gallery. These images call upon an emotion that you feel the picture shows. An image of the statue of a soldier might fill a person with a sense of honor, bravery, and respect. The image may convey a feeling of war and death to another person. These spots are different for everyone and each is unique in how it affects

HCC Library Contact Information

(203) 332-5070 www.hcc.commnet.edu/library

HORIZONS Profiles

19

By Rebecca Legoute Senior Staff Writer

More than Meets the Eye

University of Connecticut to become a certified public accountant. Inspired by the Bernie Madoff scandal, she plans to work for the FBI in an effort to make sure Americas business is following guidelines. Like with many adults, this wasnt always Calderons career choice. As a young girl, she was extremely shy. I remember in the fifth grade, if the teacher told me to read I would cry instead of reading, she said. But despite her timid nature, Calderon found refuge in the fashion world. She had the opportunity to attend Savannah College of Arts and Design in Georgia, where she was truly able to express herself. Calderon appeared in one of Bridgeports well known fashion shows, I Am Fashion Rocks CT 3 in 2011 as a model. She says that her modeling coach, Monte, inspired her to develop strong self-esteem. Modeling for Calderon became more than a way to express fashion, she learned to be confident and trust in her abilities which she explained is the attitude I bring to business everyday. With her new-found sense of self, Calderon was able to win the title Miss Senorita Belleza Latina CT 2011 and is now a contestant for Miss Connecticut USA. I feel ready, Im certain Ill win! said Calderon with a bright smile. However, Calderon isnt the stereotypical pageant girl. As a matter of fact, Calderon doesnt identify as a pageant girl at all. She speaks about her vision, one that most models and pageant girls do not have. I invest time on anything that will benefit me and that helps me to grow says Calderon sternly. For her, even though fashion may be an outlet to show the world her creative side, it isnt about the makeup, the hair, or the clothes. Participating in pageants and modeling is just her stepping stone. Every obstacle makes me stronger. Every competition I feel stronger. Adding to her list, Calderon wants to become an advocate against bullying and help young women build confidence. With bright eyes she explains, there is a lack of communication between the youth and [adults], and no one really gives back. We need to invest time in the youth. Although Calderon may have found her confidence on her own, she wants to help young women, especially within the inner city, develop a strong self-esteem. Calderon eventually plans to own a clothing store, combining her love of both business and fashion. It is better to know how to run your own business, she said. Calderon is just one of many students at HCC who found an outlet that will help in their career choice. There are several clubs and activities right in this small community college that can assist students not only to create a focus, but also to learn more about themselves just by getting involved!

t just 19 years old, one would never guess that HCC sophomore Cynthia Calderon holds a second degree black belt in Taekwondo by the way she carries herself. With her back straight, her head down and reading an open textbook, Calderon sits in the quiet room on the third floor of Beacon Hall, engrossed in her work. Smiling all throughout, Calderon was very easy to have a conversation with. Her humility is evident in her story and her ardor for success is addictive when she speaks about her future. From pageants and modeling to accounting, Calderon has a distinct vision that, according to her, is more than possible and sets her apart from the crowd. Currently, Calderon is working on a degree in Business Administration. She plans to transfer to Quinnipiac or the

By Sam Rosoff Editor

HCC Alumna Gives Back to the Community

elors and masters degrees, all the while maintaining various part-time or temporary jobs, from cleaning houses in Westport to multiple secretarial positions. Curtis has come a long way to get to where she is today, and every day she tries to help someone. She firmly believes in paying it forward. The road hasnt been easy, Curtis said, but I wouldnt trade it. Ive met a lot of good people. Since she started working at HCC 27 years ago, Curtis has been organizing charitable events in order to help the community. Last December, the HCC chapter of the Congress of Connecticut Community Colleges (the 4Cs) held its Annual Holiday Luncheon, at which members of this faculty and professional staff union donate food and toys for Bridgeport families in need. The luncheon was first started over 20 years ago by Curtis and a group of colleagues, including counselors and program coordinators. Its our way of giving back to those who are less fortunate than we are, and I feel very good about doing that, Curtis said. Every year, attendees are asked to bring in non-perishable food items and a new or unused toy as an admission fee of sorts, which are then packaged into gift bags and brought to the daycare program run out of HCCs Early Childhood Laboratory School. Heidi Szobota, director of the ECLS, said that the majority of parents whose children attend their daycare fall below 50 percent of the states median income level. She said she puts out a notice to the parents about the food and toys, and personally speaks with the families who she feels really need the gifts. This year, they received enough donations to pack 22 bags of food and about 12 different toys, from a telescope to a game rug to a plush doll. Parents quietly picked out a toy so they could have their children believe it was a gift from Santa. The parents were very appreciative of the donations, Szobota said, especially this year because a few families live in the communities hit by Hurricane Sandy. Curtis said she was glad that HCC gives staff the opportunity to promote something that helps the students and is positive reinforcement for the community. She was also thankful for the 4Cs members who have supported the event. The luncheon is so important to Curtis that she still plans on volunteering to help organize it even after retirement. She also coordinates a winter clothing drive for Bridge House, a psychiatric rehabilitation program in Bridgeport. Curtis did not have the easiest journey to get to where she is today, but she feels an obligation to help others. With the current state of the economy, theres a greater need to be giving, Curtis said. I believe that when you give, youre blessed.

n a recent speaker series with Housatonic alumni, HCC graduate and Admissions Director Deloris Curtis shared her story of how she came up the hard way. Curtis grew up in the South, and her family had a very industry and workbased philosophy. She said they werent rich, but they werent poor either. They were very loving, but they could be strict. Daddy spoiled me, and momma spanked me, Curtis said. In 1969, Curtis moved up from the South and started working for AVCO Lycoming, an engine manufacturing company. Unfortunately, she was laid off and decided to go back to school, and attended Butler Business School and then HCC soon after. Curtis graduated in 1976 with an associates degree and later achieved xbach-

HCC Professor Becoming Popular Local Lecturer

By Sam Rosoff Editor

avid Koch of Redding, an Associate Professor of History at HCC, considers himself to be on a mission to help educate people about history. Koch has been lecturing across the state because he believes that having knowledge of history is both interesting and beneficial. He said he now has about 45 speaking engagements every year, and that number has been rising. He attributes his growing success as a public speaker to the fact that hes a reliable speaker and he engages his audiences. When people find out that youre timely and your audiences like you, they love to bring you back, Koch said. So everything that Im doing now is repeat work. In his childhood, Koch was first attracted to history when his fathers World War II paraphernalia collection piqued his interest. This interest was renewed when

he was in college, which led him to pursue a masters degree in his field at Western Connecticut State University. His interest in the Civil War soon followed. After graduating, he became an Interpretive Ranger for the National Park Service in Gettysburg. You cant work there without getting into the Civil War, he said. Its just amazing to be around. Working at Gettysburg was his introduction to public speaking, but he polished this skill speaking about American folk culture while living in Hungary for five years in the 1990s. He said people were fascinated by America in Hungary and the rest of Eastern Europe. The Berlin Wall had just fallen, so there was a lot of interest in Native Americans, the Civil War, and American society, Koch said. In 2009, Koch first started to approach local libraries and historical societies to discuss the bicentennial of the births of Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin. After the first few speaking engagements,

his reputation as a speaker took hold. Now, libraries approach him. Koch said topics about the Civil War have been especially popular because of the wars ongoing 150year anniversary, which began in 2011 and will continue through 2015. Today, as a history professor, Koch said hes used to speaking in front of a group, but there are some differences between lecturing a college class and lecturing the public. As a teacher, I cant just lecture on the things that I enjoy doing; Ive got to lecture on the stuff thats going to get students through a test, too, Koch said. In a library lecture, you just go in and talk about your subject. Its very relaxing as a teacher. Occasionally, Koch said he has attracted audience members to attend HCC, some of whom are eligible for free courses if they are aged 62 or older. Many seniors dont realize that they can get into classes tuition-free, Koch said. Koch said he prefers the size of turn-

outs at libraries because higher levels of interaction and discussion are seen with more manageable crowds. The problem with giving talks to a large audience is that no one wants to ask you questions, Koch said. I love it when people talk during my talks, because then you know that youre actually having a conversation. Last April, Koch organized for Civil War reenactors to set up a camp at Housatonic, where students were able to see the uniforms and firearms firsthand. Hes hoping to bring them back this year, perhaps along with Revolutionary War reenactors for direct comparison. He said he has seen a lot of younger people, as well as his colleagues, who share his enthusiasm for making sure that society doesnt lose the knowledge of its history. This is our history, Koch said. We can gain spiritual strength from the fact that no matter who you are or where your family comes from, we all share this incredible history.

20

HCC Secretary Went from Factory to Classroom

By Sam Rosoff Editor

HORIZONS Profiles

hen Carmen Medinas mother brought her to the doctors office as a child, she was always drawn to the noise of typewriters. I used to hear those old typewriters, Medina said, and for some reason it made me think, Oh, I really want to learn how to do that! This interest eventually led her to the path of attending HCCs business program. In a recent talk with students, Medina, of Stratford, who is now a secretary in the HCC Registrars Office, said she feels encouraged whenever shes able to help a student who went through the same process that she did when she first attended the school. Medinas family had a strong work

ethic, but she was the first one to seek out a college education. She was a factory worker for a while along with the rest of her family, but she decided to enroll after receiving a flyer in the mail. She was a single parent and felt obligated to better support her daughter, and she saw furthering her education as a way to do that. Unfortunately, she did have to go against her familys expectations in the process. When I told my family that I wanted to go to community college, Medina said, they didnt understand and asked me what I was going to do there. On top of that, she said she felt out of place. I grew up in what people called the hood, and I was honestly scared when I walked in. I wasnt sure if they even wanted me here, Medina said. But thanks to counselors, financial aid workers, and her professors, she was al-

ways pointed in the right direction, and she stayed on the path towards a Professional Secretary degree, now known as the Business Office Technology program. In 1990, Medina received her first job at the HCC Womens Center as a student worker, which she enjoyed because it meant she no longer relied on a factory job, and later on she was even able to enroll her daughter into HCCs pre-school program in the Early Childhood Laboratory School. She said it all seemed difficult at first, because she had to juggle being a student, mother, and student worker all at once, but she felt that the schools staff and professors had made it impossible for her to fail. I didnt realize it at the moment, Medina said, but it was like pieces of a puzzle coming together. The people at the school really helped me and made an impact. After being a part-time student for

four years, Medina graduated in 1994, but she said it felt like the time had flown by. She was then hired for a position at HCC, which she was especially grateful for because of the state employee benefits that would help her daughter. Since then, she has worked in various departments of HCC, and has been working in the registrars office since 2008. Her future goal is to become a teacher, and she is taking courses part time at a four-year institution. In the meantime, she is glad to be able to use her own experiences to better aid the students who walk through HCCs doors. In my job, every challenge that I personally went through have come up with other students, Medina said. As a result, Ive been able to help and encourage them. And if thats the purpose of those struggles, then they were worth it.

Local Dramatist Enjoys Encore at HCC

By Sam Rosoff Editor

his past Valentines Day, an encore performance of the play Grandmas Alley was shown at HCC. It was written, directed, and produced by Tammie Smith, an HCC student, mother of five, and an up-and-coming playwright. Grandmas Alley first premiered at HCC last November, where Smith worked with Theater Arts Professor Geoffrey Sheehan to produce it. The play, which showcased the trials and tribulations of discovering ones religious spirituality, was originally intended to be held at a local church as a fundraiser for The Re-Entry Ministry. The ministry is a rehabilitation center where Smith formerly worked, helping women who struggle with severe addictions. Smith herself had a troubled past. She said she was a high school dropout and had her own problems. But she did find help and she wanted to use her experience to help others, which resulted in her joining the staff at Re-Entry Ministry. Smith had experienced what the women at the ministry were experiencing, and she knew she could help them. I dont want to see

people to live life to the minimum, I want to see people to live life to the maximum, Smith said. I still want to reach people. As a non-profit organization, the ministry fully relies on donations to run its services. Smith had gained some theater experience at her church, and thought she could bring that to the table for the ministrys annual charity dinner, but the idea was unfortunately turned down. They laid their hand on mine and said, No, that is too much work, Smith said. But Smith said she did not become discouraged; instead she became motivated. She described the urge to fulfill this creative desire as a burning flame that was ignited. I was driven by that time. Creating the play was something I needed to do for myself, Smith said. At the time, she was a student at HCC, and after talking about the play with another student, she approached Sheehan. He walked me through a lot of the process, up until the day we debuted, Smith said. He sat right next to me for the whole show, which was great. For the most recent performance, it was Student Activities Director Linda Bayusik who approached Smith to bring the play back, this time in honor of Black History

Month. They had to use a slightly different cast, but Smith said they pulled it off. It let me know that we are resilient, Smith said, and just like the premise of the play, no matter what happens, if we work with it and trust God, we can get through it. Through song and dance, the show follows the stories of multiple families and covers serious issues from domestic violence, alcoholism, molestation, and cancer. The play shows prayer as a way that characters can change their outlook on life and helps them to work toward a solution to their problems. I believe that when we pray to God, Smith said, he then in turn gives us the strength to endure a problem and to get through it. Not to fix it, and not to wipe it away, but to get through it. Smith said that she drew from her own experiences while writing the play and that her goal in producing the play is to inspire others. I want the play to provoke someone sitting in the audience, if not to run and tell people about their problems, but to at least go to God and say Hey, can you help me out? Smith said. Thats what I want to share, because I know he helped me and that was my way out. Smith is currently in the process of writing her next play, entitled Broken

Promises, which is slated to premiere on Nov. 1, the same date as her first plays premiere. Promises focuses on one family, in which a father doesnt want his two children to succeed at their dreams of becoming entertainers, because he stopped pursuing similar dreams earlier in life. She said its not about the promises that people make and break with each other, but rather about breaking promises people make to themselves. Hopefully it will inspire people to chase after your dreams, Smith said. No matter what anybody says, go for it and go big, because you can do it. If you can see it, you can be it. Smith plans to graduate from HCC next semester with a degree in Human Services. She hopes to eventually work as a drug counselor, and currently interns with the dually diagnosed population (patients with both mental illness and substance abuse problems) at Bridgeport Hospitals Mental Health Services program. However, she still plans on continuing her relationship with HCC. Ive had conversations about maybe teaching a course on playwriting and production, Smith said. Im going to get my bachelors as well but I still have this feeling that Id love to continue working with Housatonic.

Directions for Student Graduation Evaluation Online MY.COMMNET

1. Sign on to your commnet account, then enter your NET ID and Password 2. Click Student Tab, then Student Self Service 3. Click HCC if Applicable 4. Click Student Records, then Student Degree Evaluation 5. Select Current term and What If Analysis 6. Select Term you began and when you changed majors 7. If earlier than Fall 02, select Fall 02 and click continue 8. Select Program then continue 9. Select first major then submit 10. Generate Request then submit 11. Print General Requirements Return to What If analysis to select another program to Evaluate Areas designated as MET are completed Areas NOT MET need to be completed, see an advisor for proper course instruction

HORIZONS

21

Please Recycle This Newspaper

Most of the classrooms at HCC have both a garbage bin and a blue recycling bin. There are only two things that you should put in those bins: - Printer Paper/Notebook Paper - Newspaper These items CANNOT go in the recycling bins: - Food - Plastic of any kind, including bottles - Other packaging Any non-paper items that you throw out while in class must go in the regular trash. The cleaners will not separate our waste for us. Any time you dispose of regular garbage in the recycling bins, the entire contents of that bin goes to the landfill. Horizons remains committed to assisting in efforts that will result in a cleaner campus and community. Please help us help you by recycling responsibly.

22

Long-time HCC Professor Leaves Powerful Legacy

By Brandon T. Bisceglia Educational Assistant / Contributor

Memorial
Bob Isaacs (1929-2013)

HORIZONS Memorial

hen the first issue of HCCs student-run newspaper came out on Oct. 11, 1967, a noteworthy name appeared at the bottom of the papers staff list: Robert M. Isaacs, Faculty Advisor. It was the beginning of an influential 44year career at the college that ended only a few months before Bob, as his friends called him, died Feb. 21 at the age of 84. Over the course of that career, Bob created Housatonics journalism program, helped launch the creative writing magazine, taught numerous courses on literature and writing, and inspired hundreds of students. He was an inveterate booster of the budding college and a vociferous defender of students rights. Born Jan. 15, 1929 in the Bronx, Bob was passionate about reading and writing from early on. When I was a little kid second or third grade I remember writing lurid stories to amuse my friends, told the Bridgeport Post in a 1997 article about his efforts to revive HCCs lapsed creative writing course. Bobs wife, Karen, says that after high school he had his first foray into journalism working for the International News Service and the Daily Mirror in New York. Bob left the news industry to earn a bachelors in English from the City College of New York and a masters in American Literature from New York University. He was drafted in the Korean War, where he specialized in military intelligence while stationed in Frankfurt, Germany. When Bob returned to the states, he attended Loyola University in Chicago. There, says Karen, he worked with a professor who was enamored with James Joyce. Bob adopted developed a love of Irish literature, earning his doctorate in the subject. Bob thought of Joyce and Yeats as the greatest writers of the modern age, says Karen. Joyce fascinated him. The work was a puzzle, intellectual, referential and full of alliterations. By 1964, Bob had moved to Stratford, where he owned the now-defunct Stratford News. The Stratford Board of Education was considering starting a community college. His paper championed the cause. A few years later, he was teaching journalism at the new college while running his newspaper. Teaching proved to be just as much of a passion for Bob. It was a chance for him to share his adoration of writing with others. And share he did, sometimes with more people than intended. Bob was loud, in a good way, says English Professor Emeritus Glenn Kindilien, who began teaching at HCC in 1971 and came to consider Bob as family. We used to joke that our students should get double credit for his class as well as ours. Bobs own students also noticed how excited he would get in the course of teaching. He would be sitting there reading to us, and he would get so excited. Hed be laughing hysterically, says Director of Student Activities Linda Bayusik, who took classes with Bob in the 1990s. Indeed, drawing students into his world was one his aims. In a 1985 profile by the Bridgeport Post, he described his approach to teaching poetry as like throwing a barrel of cold water on them (students).Eventually, I have to say: You ought to know I

probably think this is the most important thing in the world. From the start, Bob also sought to give his students a leg up. In 1968, he hired two of his journalism students, Lois Cronin and Dale Friedman, to work for him at the Stratford News. Cronin became Society Editor. He continued throughout his tenure to help young journalists find employment. Bayusik says he recommended her for a job at the Connecticut Post, which she held for three years. She had been an editor for Horizons under him, where she learned such skills as editing, interviewing, layout structures and how to use a computer. Those skills still influence Bayusiks writing today. She says people have commented that her emails are quick and to the point. I learned that doing journalism with Bob, she explains. One of the ways he effectively prepared students for the real world was by being a stern taskmaster. Former Horizons Editor-in-Chief Joseph Weathered says Bob reminded him of a gruff, stern coach running a boot camp. You would write a lead, and he would say, No, not good enough, Weathered recalls. The ones who stuck it out, though, would reap the rewards. A lot of the students who came out of his class could write a fantastic news article, he says. He also developed close relationships with those who did the work. Both Bayusik and Weathered described him as a close adviser and friend. He was the guy to give you the right advice, says Weathered. The lynchpin of Bobs teaching philosophy was that students needed to be independent citizens capable of contributing their own ideas to society without being stifled. He was hard on students, in part, because he believed in their abilities. It was this philosophy that drove him to design the journalism courses as handson workshops. Steve Mark, who Bob groomed to take over as adviser to the program in 2000, says he got a sense during that training of how committed Bob was to the idea that the student-run paper was in the hands of the students. Mark says that aside from updates to reflect technological changes, the programs basic structure remains the same today as it was when Bob created it. Bob had personal experience with being the lone dissenting voice. Karen says he was unabashedly liberal, even at times radical. Indeed, the two first met in 1968 at a private home while planning support activities for the anti-Vietnam War Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Eugene McCarthy. After McCarthy lost his partys nomination at the Democratic National Convention, Bob could not support the remaining contenders. The Stratford News was the only newspaper in Connecticut that year to urge its readers to write in a candidate for president, Karen says. Mark agrees that Bob could be headstrong. He would fight to the end of the Earth for whatever the issue, he says. Often the issue for Bob was students rights. At a 1998 forum on student press issues at Bunnell High School in Stratford, Continued on page 22

Photos courtesy of Karen Isaacs and the Housatonic Community College archive. Used with permission.

Notable Moments in Bob Isaacss HCC Career

1964 Isaacs, owner of the Stratford News, throws the papers support behind the Board of Educations effort to establish a community college in town 1967 Helps establish and begins advising the student newspaper 1968 Hired as part-time faculty member 1969 Becomes full-time faculty member in English 1974 Sells the Stratford News to former editor James P. RePass in order to devote more time to teaching and writing 1975 Teaches creative writing course as part of a senior training program 1977 Brings team-taught course on Irish culture, history and literature to HCC 1977 Chairs project to create supplement celebrating HCCs 10-year anniversary that appeared in the Bridgeport Post 1978 Teaches new Journalism II course at HCC, dealing with features, editorials, columns, editing, layout, and other aspects of news 1978-1979 Acts as adviser and editor to the first issue of Beanfeast, HCCs first creative writing publication 1979 Designs, coordinates and teaches nine-week non-credit course called Theater in Connecticut - Be Your Own Critic that exposes students to theater reviews 1984 Awarded title of full professor 1987 Receives merit recognition award for outstanding service for work developing and instituting Journalism and Communications degree program as well as chairing the colleges anniversary committee 1993 Receives distinguished service award for outstanding service to HCC by the State Board of Trustees 1997 Revives Creative Writing course, which had lapsed 2000 Retires from teaching full-time, but continues at HCC part-time 2000 Speaks at graduation 2012 Stops teaching at HCC due to ailing health

HORIZONS Memorial
Contiued from page 23 the Bridgeport Post reported he shouted out to the room full of student journalists: The decision for what goes in (the paper) should be left to those who (write) it. Must we learn at 18 years old that those sons of bitches want to crush the spirit out of us? You cannot surrender your right of freedom of expression. Bob also believed wholeheartedly in the community college vision of serving everyone equally. When Connecticuts legislature in 1977 fell short in its funding for the schools, he wrote a scathing opinion article for the Milford Citizen in which he chastised lawmakers for selling students short. If we fail to keep the door fully open, he wrote, we will be doing a great injustice not only to those persons who will be deprived of their fair share of our nations fullness but also to the city of Milford, the State of Connecticut and ultimately to the United States of America which will be deprived of more complete and contributing members of society. Bob retired in 2000, partly because of his growing frustration with the colleges administration at the time, says Karen. That year, he spoke at graduation. He talked about how much he had learned from the students, she says, and how much he admired them. Bob continued to teach at Housatonic part-time for the next 12 years. Quinnipiac University student and HCC graduate Victor Rios took a course in British Literature with him in 2009. Though Bob was much older, Rios remembers him being full of life and full of jokes. It was clear, he says, that Bob wanted them to enjoy literature as much as he did. He used to tell us this story, says Rios. Life is like a banquet hall. Youre in there eating and having a good time, when this little bird pops in through one window and goes out through another. You dont know where it came from or where its going. Thats life. Rios later credited Bob when he recounted the story in one of his papers. I made him a part of my own work, he says. So theres definitely a little bit of him lodged in me. In late 2012, Bob had a fall at HCC. His health declined quickly after that, says Karen. By Christmas, the family knew things werent going to end well. Finally, Bob died peacefully at Connecticut Hospice in Branford. Karen praised the staff at the hospice for the way they handled his last hours. They knew he was dying, but they still treated him well, and were concerned about his comfort, she remem-

23

We Sometimes Forget A vision from I-91, May, 1974

By Robert M. Isaacs
The Springs green closing Gaps of brown and gray. Sparkles like a dance upon the breeze Oblivious to Winters dreams And Autumns memories And ripe tomorrows Summer leaves. bers. Friends and former students all expressed sorrow over his passing. Bob was very animated, very alive, says Kindilien. He enjoyed what he was doing so much so that if one were to go where hes been, theres a void there now. Karen says the family will set up something in Bobs name through the Housatonic Community College Foundation to benefit students. That way, the profound influence Bob Isaacs had on HCC will live on for years to come.

24

HORIZONS Sports

arts & entertainment sports

By Jack Loretan Staff Writer

HCC Sports Teams

ere at HCC, the sports scene is basically non-existent. Actually at the time of writing this we do not have a single sport that students can enjoy. Imagine if we were able to participate in and watch sports here, as well as get our education. Some people may agree with it and others may not. HCC student Charles Genster downplayed the idea of sports teams, saying, It is almost unnecessary due to the fact that most people only attend this school

for two years. Charles said, Well since I am a hockey player the importance level of sports here isnt too high for me, but Im sure if you found either basketball or baseball players they may be more interested in this topic. Most people seemed to think the only sport that should be brought back is basketball. Another anonymous student who requested not to be named said, It would cause students to be more interested in being a part of the HCC community and this school wouldnt just be a fallback,

but more of an opportunity for sports as well as academics. We do not have to be a Division I basketball school or anything, but if HCC were able to create a stepping stone for students who might be thinking about playing basketball in Division I, but need time to work on their game, this would be a perfect place to do so. I had no idea that sports existed at this school, said Brandon Hubbard, one of Housatonics students who has played sports his whole life, including basketball. Brandon also said, If Housatonic had

sports it would inspire more students to want to attend this school and could probably improve the college as a whole. He said, It would be awesome if they had a basketball team. Most people at this school enjoy basketball, and I think we would have a solid fan base. On the problem of who would we play, he said, Thats simple: just round up all of the community colleges from the state and start a league. Now you, the students of HCC, have to come together and make this happen if youve become inspired to start a comeback for the sports teams here.

Photo by Brandon T. Bisceglia.