The Longview Lakers’ are intesnse as they are headed to the playoffs for their third consecutive season. The Laker’s current record of 28-25 and only have lost five games in April and May combined.

“Going into the season we knew we were going to have a strong offense, and we struggled for a little bit, but people adjusted. We have been strong ever since,” sophomore pitcher James Fitzgearlds said.

Stephanie Weissman/The Current

Click here to view slideshow

The Lakers knew this was how they were going to play all season. “We knew from the start that we had a lot of talent on the team. We had a rough patch in the middle of the season, but we knew we would work our way out of it,” sophomore first baseman David Ullrich said.

The 1-12 losing streak started when they lost to Kansas City Kansas Community College 8-5 on March 7. Their only win during the streak was a 15-5 win over Cloud County Community College on March 14.

Sophomore catcher Austin Hill said it really showed them what they needed to fix. “We have to go over .500 this season to get to the playoffs and that really put us in a do or die situation. We could have either laid down and gave up or came back swinging and that’s what we really have done,” Hill said.

“This is how we have expected the whole season to go because of our talent level,” sophomore first baseman Josh Dennett said. “A lot of the freshman are now experiencing what it’s like to win at this level,” he said.

Fitzgearlds describes the comeback against Highland to be the team’s hardest game all season. “I think that shows we were used to winning and even with the recent deficit at the beginning we were able to pull through,” said Fitzgearlds.

The Lakers are going to need to use their experience and talent if they are going to have a shot at repeating what they did in 2007. Hill said they expected to make the playoffs. “Our main goal is to make it to the World Series,” Hill said.

Biden spoke at MCC-Penn Valley HSI (Stephanie Weissman/The Current).

by Stephanie Weissman

MCC-Penn Valley Health Science Institute hosted Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, in a round-table discussion on the topic “Community College to Career” on April 30.

Jill Biden is a long-time educator who continues to teach full-time. She and Assistant Labor Secretary Jane Oates shared the round-table with three students, who took part in giving their own personal experiences with working and their education.

The group discussed the MoHealthWINs program; the way students have been put directly into the workforce; and also businesses that have hired students from the MCC campuses.

“This is exciting for students and the link to education employment. It’s not just getting the degree,” said Cheryl Carpenter Davis, Dean of Instruction at MCC-Blue River.

Before the discussion began, Biden spoke of her support for community colleges. She teaches in the education department of Northern Virginia Community College.

“This was an opportunity to collaborate with people with similar scenarios,” said John Bone, a student at MCC-Business & Technology. Bone, with MCC- B&T  student Ethan Roy, spoke during the round-table discussion about his job and how it connects with his MCC experiences.

The panel gave perspectives from every angle about workforce development and the discussion highlighted the importance of gaining an education and the ability to enhance the workforce.

“It’s cool to see the whole picture,” said Roy.

Biden said her  visit at MCC gives her a first-hand look at how students from community colleges can truly contribute and make a difference.

The Student Employment Service office, located in Longview’s Campus Center 251, not only helps students find jobs, but helps prepare them for success.

More than 800 current, future, and past students of MCC seek out the services offered each year. These includes on-campus job placement, career fairs, job recruiting, resume reviews, virtual-interview software, and even their own website, projecthire.net, which hosts hundreds of local and national job opportunities for students.

Linda Anderson, the program coordinator at Longview, has been helping students prepare for employment for 12 years.

“Work-study and office jobs are the most common types of jobs students seek out,” she says. However, all types of jobs, from machine operating to assistant teaching and everything in between, are available. Weekly updated lists of newly open positions (called the Hot Job List) are posted on the home page of projecthire.net, as well as on the bulletin boards of each building on campus.

“Students come right in and fill out paper applications for on-campus positions, and can get help using the website right here in the office,” said Matthew Gibb, a student worker at the Employment Services office.

Multiple job fairs and workshops are held on and off campus each year, and are open to students as well as members of the community. The workshops teach students important skills like workplace etiquette, social skills, and how to present themselves to employers, and the job fairs work with employers to fit students into appropriate jobs for them.

The Student Employment Services offer real opportunities to motivated students. Last semester, Andre Oliveira, who was at that time a student at Longview, saw the Hot Job List on the bulletin board in the library and jotted down some info.

“I logged on to (projecthire.net) one day and was called back for an interview the next day,” he said. Oliveira had been looking for a job for more than two months when he discovered projecthire.net, and is still cooking at Harrah’s Casino.

So whether the goal is to find a job or internship, improve a resume, or just practice jobs skills for the future, why not make an appointment or simply drop by the Student Employment Services Office? Anderson and her friendly staff are always happy to help.

Education is very important in our society. Many people are going back to school knowing that a degree will help them get a better paying job. During the recession in 2008, a lot of people lost their jobs partially due to lack of education. Since then, the government strongly encouraged them to go back to school and better themselves and the society. Many of the current Metropolitan Community College (MCC) students have been out of school for many years so it can be hard to get back into the swing of things. Some students found themselves forgetting how to take a test or get more nervous to take it.

“The older I get, the more I seem to get test anxiety,” said MCC student Anita Borchers.

On March 9 at MCC-Penn Valley, Learning Specialist Beth McCallister gave a presentation called, “Do you need strategies to improve your test-taking skills?” According to McCallister, being a successful student requires a variety of skills. Some of those skills she helps students learn and use are study strategies, time management and organization, test-taking strategies and learning styles.

“What I try to do is foster student success by helping them learn how to learn,” she says.

There are many ways to prepare for a test and a student can learn these skills. McCallister recommends that students exercise, because it helps to burn off the nervous energy.

Second-year student, Maria Wylde, is ahead of many students on this score. “I work out almost everyday even if it’s just for a few minutes and I always feel more energized and calm,” Wylde said.

Another important way to prepare for a test is to make sure to get plenty of rest and eat nutritious foods. Jack Matney is a part of the MCC-Police Academy and for his classes it takes a lot more than just the written tests. He has to take many physical tests as well, and he has to pass every test in order to become a police officer.

“Sleep is the best thing you can do before a major test. When I am tired, I can’t focus and even my running time is much slower,” he said.

No matter what type of test is involved, it is very important to prepare for it not just mentally but also physically.

McCallister offers several ways to improve on the test-taking skills. “Practice makes perfect” is a saying many of us have heard hundreds of times, but according to McCallister, that is exactly what students need to be doing in order to get better at taking tests. Here are some pointers on how to improve this skill:

• Skim the test before answering the questions. Doing this will help the student to manage his/her time much better.
• Do a “mind dump” before the test begins. Some students store pieces of information (dates, math formulas, theories) that take too much space in their brain and by “dumping” it all on some scratch paper will help them focus on the test.
• Read each question and understand it completely. The question itself can have a part of the answer in it or a clue that will help you with answering it.
• Always leave a little bit of time to look over all your answers and double check the whole test.

Chris Hemsworth stars as Thor and Chris Evans as Captain America in “The Avengers” (Marvel/MCT).

by Michael Holcomb

Doing the impossible is what humans do best. Impossible things such as going the Moon are is only but one achievement that humanity has within its long list.

This movie proves to be no exception.

It is one of those cases where the idea would work extremely well or simply implode into itself. Could Hollywood truly make a cinema spectacular with not only big star names, but also represent some of the greatest comic book heroes of all time?

The answer is an incredibly pleasing one: yes.

The Avengers is a film where all the pieces are thrown together in the right order. Everything about this spectacle is amazing. It is an extremely polished film that looks absolutely fantastic. The picture is crystal clear. The makers truly put their craft to an ultimate test here where audiences will be bedazzled by just how smooth The Avengers is. Not only does Avengers look good in its quality, but the effects are engaging.  From Bruce Banner’s transformation into the Hulk and Iron Man flying around to a truly epic battle in Manhattan, the effects are done positively right.

Of course, effects are not the only thing that makes a movie. Luckily, Avengers is covered in that department. Joss Whedon has done as an excellent job at writing these characters. There truly exists a sense of conflict not only from the enemy, but also from the group’s inability to unite against them. Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. do well to show tension that stands heavily between the reserved and ready Captain America and the flashy, stylish playboy that is Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, respectively.

Mark Ruffalo and Chris Hemsworth do well to portray their characters, Hulk and Thor, as well. Newcomers such as Scarlett Johannson and Jeremy Renner fulfill their job,s too, and fulfill expectations for a blockbuster flick of this caliber. What is also nice is that the villain, too, is expanded upon and is a familiar face since it is Loki, Thor’s brother. This should be easier for audiences to accept if they have previously seen Thor before seeing this. It is glad to be said that this film prides itself in its characterization for everyone present to make a nicely woven story for audiences to enjoy.

Overall, The Avengers is an experience that should not be missed this summer. It truly does its job to glorify and represent the heroes which American pop culture has come to know and love. The Avengers not only raises the bar for future Marvel films to match, but graciously shows itself as it is – a vastly enjoyable summer movie for audiences across.

Sometimes as children, people have an idea of what they would like to be when they grow up. A doctor, an astronaut, an artist, or even a pop star. Yet these childhood ideas often change and grow throughout life. Walk through a college campus and ask the students what they would like to do as a career, and most will know.

Like Deanna Millard and Andrew Parks, who both want to pursue Engineering. Deanna Millard is a first year student at MCC. She is well suited for the field –  she enjoys math, science, and putting pieces together to see how they work. She said she wants into mining engineering with an emphasis in explosives. Millard will transfer to the Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla next fall.

Andrew Parks is an engineering student at Longview pursuing a career in architectural engineering and is also transferring to Missouri S&T next year.

Though transferring is a big step for MCC students, the transfer program between MCC and Missouri S&T allows students to be confident that the classes they take at MCC will transfer to the four-year college.

“The program is an agreement between MCC and MS&T based on the ability of the engineering faculty at MCC to teach classes that parallel those at MS&T,” said Nicole Pflum, an engineering instructor at MCC. The program between MCC and Missouri S&T has been active for 10 years.

“In those years MS&T has done the math, and report to us every year that students who start at MCC do better in their last two years than students who start at MS&T,” Pflum said.

To prepare transfer students like Millard and Parks, Pflum makes sure they are in contact with a university, be it Missouri S&T or another. Pflum said she also makes sure that these students have a thirst for knowledge and advises them to make sure they are learning, not just passing the class. Parks said he’s thankful for the program that Missouri S&T has set up with Longview to help transfer students. He was also lucky enough to have the inside scoop on the transferring process thanks to a friend who had done the same.

Millard and Parks said they feel prepared for Missouri S&T. Millard feels that the most valuable thing she learned at Longview was how to keep up with the quick pace professors set.

Parks cited the benefit of study pals. “Studying in a group is a whole lot easier and helpful than studying on your own.”

One of the newest organizations at Longview is Students for Justice in Palestine. The organization’s intention is to bring awareness to issues in Palestine and to raise discussions.

“We hope this will promote awareness among students at Longview and in the community about the plight of the Palestinian people in the Middle East,” said Sabrin Qadi, president of the organization and student at Longview.

The organization has scheduled a screening of “Occupation 101” for May 3 from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Cultural Arts building, room 116.

“What you see in the media is usually one-sided,” said Qadi. “It doesn’t necessarily show what the Palestinian people are going through. This club is mainly for trying to raise awareness towards the issues.”

The group’s first meeting was in February. Since then, they have had meetings and have even screened documentaries for students to come watch. Any students are welcomed to join, with no specific requirements for members.

The United States economy has been in decline for the past several years. Unemployment is high, job security is low and our uncertainty of the future is at the highest it’s been in generations. All of this has led to non-traditional students returning to school in rising numbers and local community colleges such as MCC Longview are where many of them choose to start.

a non-traditional student is one who is over  the age of 24, according to Donna Evans of the Institutional Enrollment Research Department at MCC-Longview. Non-traditional student enrollment has been between 35 and 36 percent of total enrollment each of the past five spring semesters, Evans said.

Longview students are returning to school for a variety of reasons, but they all center on wanting to create more opportunity in the future.

Tanner Giles plans to enroll at the University of Missouri – Columbia this summer to pursue a degree in computer science. Giles said saw the need for a change and returned to Longview after an eight-year absence working in his family’s construction business.

“I started working for my dad making really good money, but both my father and uncle have had major back problems” Giles said.  ”I figured it was time that I do what I want for a living and not worry about breaking down my body due to construction.”

Going back to school after an absence isn’t without problems for some people. Juggling full-time jobs, kids and family is already difficult, before adding the stresses of school.

Lydia Matney returned to school at Longview in the fall of 2007, after taking time off to have a baby. She is finding that going back to school as a non-traditional student can be as difficult as it is rewarding.

“This decision has been good and not so good at the same time,” Matney said. “Both my husband and I are in school right now, so it has been difficult on our relationship because we do not see much of each other with both of us working full-time and going to school. It’s been hard finding time to spend together and also give attention to our son.”

There is also an upside, Matney said. “It has been a good decision because I know that I am accomplishing something I have always wanted to do. It will all pay off in the long run,” Matney wrote in an email.

Over the previous few month,s MCC Orientation Coordinator Casey Reid has been hard at work preparing for MCC’s newest required course. The new COLL100 course is a first-year seminar course similar to those typically required or offered at four year universities.

The course will cover basic information about the MCC network, such as MyMCC and Blackboard resources; on-campus resources like tutoring and financial aid; and college expectations and policies. It will also cover more universal topics such as learning and note-taking strategies; time and stress-management skills; budgeting, motivation, goals, and career exploration.

“A lot of students come in thinking they know how to be a student, but it’s very different being a college student than a high school student,” Reid said.

Starting in fall 2012, any first-time student at MCC with fewer than 12 credit hours completed after high school with a minimum GPA of 2.0 will take COLL 100. Students who will be excused include: visiting students, students enrolled in a class specifically for a professional development or work-related purpose, and students enrolled in a class solely for personal enrichment. English Language Learner (ELL or ESL) students who test below a 77 on the ESL Compass reading test will not take COLL 100 until they have successfully progressed to intermediate-level ESL classes.

“This course feels very important to me to at the least give them a connection on the campus,” Reid said. “We want students in, we want students out, and we want them to be successful,” Reid said.

Reid and the designers of the course hope it will better serve the students in their transition into college, Reid said. Their rationale stems from research performed at institutions that have the program. Nearly all boasted greater retention rates, higher GPAs, and increased academic abilities, according to Reid.

Matthew Brozovich, a high school senior planning on attending MCC next year, says he thinks it’s a good idea. “I think it would help reinforce knowledge about MCC and better acquaint them with the environment,” he said.

MCC performed a study of its own at Maple Woods. They split A+ students attending Maple Woods into 2 groups in autumn of 2009. One group took the GUID113 (the closest thing MCC had to an orientation course) and the other did not. The performances of the two groups in the following year were compared. The students in the pilot course earned higher GPAs, maintained their A+ funding at a higher rate, and were retained at a higher rate for the next two semesters.

“I wish I had been among one of the pilot students. It may have made things go a bit smoother,” said freshman Dasha Guzman.

The changes mean an overhaul for the old orientation program, too. The optional, one-day workshop is still available, but with a new name and some modified content. The “Big Event,” as it will be know will include different information than the COLL 100 course and is  still recommended for incoming students.