Drama Delivers (Sentinel Aritcle)

"I can be myself, happy and worry free for a good one and a half hours."

Hong Gu, one of the promising new actors to spire out of the class with the highest attendance, and one of the strongest sense of community. Every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at eleven the schools acting class breaks down walls of self-consciousness and comfort to explore the art of theater.

Ahmed Abdinzak hesitated at first, but is now confident that he made the right choice.

"Thru the acting class I have improved my communication skills, public speaking skills, my ability to work with others and I have become more confident. Acting incorporates so many of the important social skills of life."

Another one of the actors Conor Hogan, who has a decade of theater experience, gives this view on the spot light crew.

"Each student is encouraged to be free to feel, think, do, say, act, sing and dance. Collectively we create an environment absent of judgment, criticism, stereotypes and negativity. This class has a strong communion I've felt in no other class in my lifetime."

Carly Hutchinson, who is currently playing the arrogant lifeguard in the final play, which will be preformed at the end of this quarter, says:

"This class has improved my imagination and focus. It has helped me grow, not only as an actress, but also in everything else. It has made me stronger."

All of the students share the same positive attitude towards this alternative class, but what about the person backstage?

I sit down and talk to Katherine Pellman, who has a vast background in theater, working the stages on Broadway. She is the passionate professor and dedicated director of this rear creative class. Why is acting so important?

"We have lost the ability to play, the ability to go beyond the literal and act upon our creative impulses. This acting class let's the students get in touch with themselves and break down the barriers of self-criticism, thru establishing an environment with common admiration and respect, empowering them and building their self-esteem. Acting also trains your communicative and interpretive skills, your spontaneity, focus and determination. All skills needed out there in the real world. All in all it's about making connections with yourself and the people around you."

The creative scene on South Seattle Community College is a small and somewhat hidden scene. There are not so many students that are even aware that the school has such a class. And that's a shame. All though it has the stage and the facilities to support an extension of the drama program, little is being done to push the creative environment on school grounds.
Why can't we build on what we already have established? Why can't we accompany the successful acting class with more art classes? At least give it some more attention. We have the stage let's use it. Let's give our students the creative alternative to spike up their daily college routine. Let's put some graffiti on this concrete cascade!

In the past there was established an arts & leisure committee who worked continuously on promoting campus creativity. "This committee must be re-established!" Mrs. Pellman comments.

Student life, with the Rainbow Festival as their main event serve a great contribution to the students, and with our dean in charge, this campus is not getting any grayer. But why stop here? Let us bring the arts back on the curriculum. Let this school become known as a creative school!

Cuts on Campus (Sentinel Aritcle)

This spring quarter a student was mugged on the schools parking lot. School security and 911 was quickly dispatched and the student got the necessary attention and support. But where do those students who need medical assistance turn to when a 911 call isn't called for?
Providing students with the proper security and support so they can focus on their academic goals should be on the schools top priority list. Is the school looking out for their students' health? Where is our school nurse?

These questions came to my attention when I sat down and talked to Damaris Valdez, a nurse-student and one of the staff at the South Seattle Community College woman center.
"Students should have somewhere to go if they are facing a health issue. They should have a school nurse that can answer health related questions, give referrals and take care of basic necessities as fixing cuts and bruises from accidents that happens on school premises."
The entire staff at the woman center shares this opinion. So why don't we have a nurse on campus?

Mark Mitsui, the vice president of student services, agrees that the school should have a nurse on campus, but argues that there aren't enough funds to back it up. "The schools main priority is the students academic achievements. With regards to health issues, the school provide a number of services for students in need" He mentions that the students can call 211 to get answers to health related questions or referrals, the school has security guards trained in first aid and there are three fulltime counselors working to help students that feel depresses or just need somebody to talk to. The school also provides a health insurance for students' with ten credits or more.

What about the soon to become nurses that roam our hallways? Can't we get a school nurse thru the nursing program, giving nurse students' valuable experience and the students in general a greater sense of security? Do they have the necessary skills to give such a service?
I direct this question to Malcolm Grothe, director of the nursing program, who responses positively to the idea.

"We have certified nurses that can provide the basic services that are requested. The resources are here."

Both Mark Mitsui and Malcolm Grothe agrees that first of all we need to conduct a student survey to reveal if there actually is a need for a school nurse, and in that case what services are requested. The student government could grant the funds for such a survey.

Kyle Schaffer, the USA president says, "A student survey is a great idea, I will bring it up on our next executive meeting. Such a survey could be done rather quickly;" Kyle also sees the nurse program as a possible resource and solution to solving the nurse situation.

I've interviewed a number of students and all of them had taken for granted that there was a school nurse, and the majority of them felt less safe knowing that they had nowhere to go if a situation occurred.

Kimiko Foz, a student majoring in communication was very surprised over the fact that her school didn't fulfill such an important and basic service.

"I don't feel comfortable. Where do I go if I get hurt?"

litt

Seattle International Film Festival begynner om en uke, jeg skal arbeide som speaker, dvs jeg introduserer film, utfordring men ser frem til det. Drar til Canada memorial day sammen med en gjeng dansker. Passet mitt fungerer stadig saa hvorfor ikke. Skriver artikler som aldri for og sliter litt med editoren min, hun er beinhard. Skolen gaar den riktige vei, men maa skjerpe meg, det blir ikke lettere.