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Friday, December 7, 2012Volume XXVII, No. 2 http://www.southeast.edu

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Friday, Dec. 7Vocal music concert,Truman gym, 3:30 p.m.Saturday, Dec. 8Men’s and women’s basketball vs. North Platte CC, 2 and 4 p.m.Thursday, Dec. 13Fall quarter endsFriday, Dec. 14GraduationMilford, 6 p.m.Beatrice, 7 p.m.Lincoln, 7:30 p.m.Sunday, Jan. 6Men’s basketball vs. Doane JV, 4 p.m.Monday, Jan. 7Winter quarter beginsWednesday, Jan. 16Men’s basketballvs. York JV, 7 p.m.Thursday, Jan. 17Women’s basketball vs.Doane JV, 6 p.m.at SCC Lincoln gym

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Video games as art?..............................page 2LPNAN food, clothing drives ...................page 3Basketball seasons are under way ............page 4New Muse album review ..............................page 6

Continued on page 3

MILFORD - Five stu-dents in Southeast Commu-nity College’s Graphic Design program won awards in the Nebraska Chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts annual design competi-tion held Nov. 3.

Labeled Nebraska’s biggest annual design competition, “The Show” celebrated its 21st year. The competition is for student and professional de-signers. “The Show” was held at KANEKO in Omaha.

SCC students took home nine medals.

Ashley Faubel of Lincoln won one gold, one silver and one bronze. Elizabeth Vorn-brock of Le Mars, Iowa, won one gold and one bronze. Madison Neal of Lincoln won a gold and a bronze. Emily Schaben of Milford won a bronze. And Kaleigh Mueller of Seward won a bronze.

The categories for which they won medals ranged from publications, promotional, mobile applications and Web design.

Sam Rapien, program chair and instructor, said he was pleased with the students’ work and how they fared in the competition.

“I’m very proud of the work these students, and really all

SCC Graphic Design Students Win Awards in Design Competition

Photo contributedFrom left: SCC Graphic Design student Madison Neal of Lincoln, Program Chair Samuel B. Rapien, SCC student and second-round finalist Craig Eiting of Seward, SCC student Elizabeth Vornbrock of Le Mars, Iowa, and SCC student Ashley Faubel of Lincoln.

of our students, put into this competition,” Rapien said. “The AIGA competition is an excellent experience for them.”

All of the students, along with 12 classmates, will gradu-ate from the Graphic Design program on Dec. 14 at SCC’s Milford Campus.

A new group of students will enter a new program, Graphic Design/Media Arts, at SCC’s downtown Lincoln location, Energy Square, in January.

The new program is the result of the Graphic Design and Visual Publications pro-gram, currently on the Lincoln Campus, merging.

“We have a very strong program,” Rapien said, “and we’re excited about the new space on the second floor of Energy Square. The new area will allow us to promote our students’ outstanding work, and it will enable us to serve more students.”

SCC will enroll 24 students into the program every other quarter beginning in January.

Persons interested in the Graphic Design/Media Arts program are asked to contact Rapien at 402-761-8282 or srapien@southeast.edu.

By Harold Bowen

LINCOLN - From hur-ricane Sandy to the not-so-long-ago Hurricane Katrina, natural disasters adversely affect many lives. But before these disasters occur, people still need help and assistance.

Helping folks in our own communities is an everyday obligation, and volunteerism is one major way of helping.

According to the executive director of Volunteer Partners, Wayne Svoboda, “You can write a check which is good…non-profits need funds, but that’s kind of impersonal. The most personal and profound way to give is to give your time.”

Instead of the ho-hum Christmas tie, Svoboda suggests giving “Give Cer-tificates,” gifting 20 hours of your time to an organization that the recipient supports.

It could be more rewarding

All Larry Germer wanted to do was take some agriculture classes at Fairbury Junior Col-lege and go back to the farm.

But something his uncle, Leonard Germer, told him changed the course of Larry’s life.

“He was Thayer County attorney at the time, and he told me, ‘if you come back and farm and get hurt, then what?’ Germer recalled. “He told me I needed something to fall back on. After Fairbury I went up to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Ironically, I never did go back to the farm.”

Germer was among five individuals who received the Nebraska Community College Association Distinguished Alumni Award Monday night during a ceremony at North-east Community College in Norfolk.

James Temme, a 1971 graduate of Platte College in Columbus (Central Com-munity College); Cara Catlett Putman, a 1992 graduate of Mid-Plains Community Col-lege; Cindy Morrow, a 1978 graduate of Northeast Techni-cal Community College (now Northeast Community Col-lege); and Darwin Godemann, a 1979 graduate of Western Nebraska Technical College (now Western Nebraska Com-munity College), also were honored.

“I’m honored to have been chosen for this award,” Germer said. “It really means a lot to me.”

Germer has spent a lifetime in education in Nebraska. The Chester High School graduate

NCCA honors Germer as SCC’s Distinguished Alumnus for 2012

earned an associate degree from FJC in 1960, taking numerous agriculture courses from George Johnson, whom Germer praised.

“I took all of the agriculture courses FJC had,” Germer said. “Some agronomy, animal science and ag-economics courses were ones we tested out of at UNL. George did a very good job teaching us.”

Germer earned his bach-elor’s degree in ag education from UNL in 1962. He said the instruction he received at FJC was outstanding.

“I had some excellent teachers,” he said. “The class sizes were small, so we got more one-on-one help. One of the things we did was test in those ag classes to get the hours transferred to UNL. There were several classes we took a year later and we still were able to pass their final, so we retained a lot of infor-mation. That spoke well of the Fairbury instructors. The instruction was comparable to what we had at the univer-sity.”

Germer’s first teaching job was at Diller High School as the vocational agriculture in-structor. He spent 12 years at Diller and earned his master’s degree in ag education from UNL in 1975.

He left Diller in 1976 to teach in the Lincoln Public School system. After a two-year stint, Germer joined UNL as an extension educator in Gage County, a position he held for 30 years. In 2008, Germer retired from UNL

Volunteer Partners Matches Volunteers with Organizations

Photo retrieved from rottentomatoes.comAbove, Reece Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn starred in “Four Christmases,” which is worth another look according to critic Amy Curry. For more on possibly overlooked holiday films, see page 5.

Overlooked?

than the traditional fruitcake.According to the organiza-

tions’ web site, a survey of volunteerism in Lancaster County says that 167 agencies utilized over 175 thousand volunteers. That translates to over 2.5 million volunteer hours and a staggering dollar value of over $42 million.

Svoboda says there are three ways we can give.

“We can give money or stuff, blood or body parts or give our time,” he said.

Volunteer Partners has a web site (volunteerpartners.org) that students can go to for more information about the organization, but more importantly, it shows areas in where their skills are most needed.

During this time of year, helping the Salvation Army, The Red Cross or youth organizations could be very helpful.

But Svoboda suggests that

students find organizations they are most concerned about and contact them first.

Lincoln-based Volunteer Partners is an organization that partners groups and or individuals to volunteer organizations in the Lancaster County community.

Svobada has been the or-ganization’s director since the group’s inception more than 10 years ago.

By Amy Curry

LINCOLN - While stores were preparing for the Black Friday rush of consumers, a smaller group was organizing their own type of sale. Area crafters had gotten together and formed what they hope will be an annual event called Craftzilla.

Located in the old Arm-strong building at the corner of 48th and R streets, organiz-ers planned for everything.

There were over 40 vendors and the event even featured food trucks and live music by local bands and was covered by local television news sta-

Area Crafters Prepare for Holiday Season

Continued on page 2

2 Friday, December 7, 2012 SCC Challenge

Viewpoints

Staff writers — Hannah Blumhardt, Harold Bowen, Bryan Busekist, Amy Curry, Karla Donohoe, Scott Driscoll, Stan Edelbaum, Lisa Frank, Spencer Hansen, Kat Lewandowski, Heidi Oziah, John Rector, Sash Seamans, Allison Slauson, Grace Stebbing, Stephanie Waterman, Neil Young, and Robert Zimmerman.Beatrice staff reporter and photographer — Nicholas A. HoweSports reporter — Matt Hegemeier Adviser — Joshua Whitney

SCC Board of Governors: Lynn Schluckebier, Chair, Seward; Robert J. Feit, Vice Chair, Pickrell; James J. Garver, Secretary, Lincoln; Kathy Boellstorff, Treasurer, Johnson; Helen E. Griffin, Lincoln; Ed C. Heiden, Sterling; Carl R. Humphrey, Waverly; Ruth M. Johnson, Lincoln; Dale Kruse, Beatrice; Ter-rence L. Kubicek, Lincoln; Nancy A. Seim, Lincoln; Steve Ottmann, Faculty Representative, Lincoln.Equal Opportunity/NonDiscrimination Policy - It is the policy of Southeast Community College to provide equal opportunity and nondiscrimination in all admission, attendance, and employment matters to all persons without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, national origin, ethnicity, vet-eran status, sexual orientation, disability, or other factors prohibited by law or College policy. Inquiries concerning the application of Southeast Community College’s policies on equal opportunity and nondiscrimination should be di-rected to the Vice President for Access/Equity/Diversity, SCC Area Office, 301 S. 68th Street Place, Lincoln, NE 68510, 402-323-3412, FAX 402-323-3420, or jsoto@southeast.edu.Declaración de política sobre equidad/antidiscriminación - La política publica de Southeast Community College es de proveer equidad, y prohíbe discriminación, en todos asuntos referentes a la admisión, participación, y empleo contra toda persona por motivo de raza, color, religión, sexo, edad, estado civil, origen nacional, etnia, condición de veterano, orientación sexual, incapacidad, u otros factores prohibidos por ley o política del Colegio. Preguntas relacionadas a la política sobre equidad/antidiscriminación de Southeast Community College deben dirigirse a: Vice President for Access/Equity/Diversity, SCC Area Office, 301 S 68 Street Place, Lincoln, NE 68510, 402-323-3412, FAX 402-323-3420, o jsoto@southeast.edu.

December 7, 2012 Volume XXVII, No. 2

Published twice quarterly by journalism and photography students

at Southeast Community College

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The SCC Challenge

OpinionOpinion

By Spencer Hansen

Since the beginning of human history, art has been a medium of creativity, entertainment and sometimes func-tionability. From paintings, sculptures, music, pictures, speeches, and cinema, art can take on many various medi-ums. And if movies are considered to be an artform, why not video games?

Both games and movies seek to entertain, but video games also involve the viewer hands-on by giving him or her the freedom to control what is going on. This viewer involvement has sparked many debates within the enter-tainment industry and the world of art alike, causing video games to teeter on the fence between both.

Video games are no exception, and should be credited as a form of art, as it is a way people can express themselves and feel like they can be a part of something outside the reaches of reality.

To see what my peers had to say, I posted a Facebook status, simply asking, “Do you think video games should be considered an artform? Give a brief explanation to back up your thoughts,” and I got some pretty good feedback. Notifications piled up for a couple hours, and one comment really stood out to me:

“Video games are no less artful than cinema; both are a labor by individuals or groups seeking to express something through a medium meant to be shared. The only true difference between video games and other art forms is that video games require and encourage input on the part of the people experiencing the piece, a form of interaction and interpretation vacant in all other forms of art.”

While video games began as a win/lose, no story, all action-based form of entertainment, it has since evolved. While games like such still exist, (and will always exist...), there is more to them than just winning.

Now, in modern times, having an immersive storyline is almost a must. In 2007, the company Bioware released the first game of a now legendary trilogy, “Mass Effect.” In the game, players assume the role of Commander Shepard

in the not so distant future after mankind comes in contact with other alien races. Shepard is a military commander trying to save the populations of the universe from the threat of mass extinction by the hand of an ancient alien race.

The game itself is a shooter, having the player gun down armies with two sidekicks, which give the player a fun, action-filled experience, but that’s only half of the game.

The game’s main focus is story, and how the player’s choices at various points in the cinematic-cut scenes affect the overall outcome of the story. These choices arise during many points of dialogue and have major effects on how the story proceeds. These choices carry on until the end of the trilogy.

Movie-worthy cinematic cut-scenes and graphics help bring the “Mass Effect” universe to life, along with large, explorable environments and top-notch sound recording.

Given the player’s unlimited amount of control and seemingly unlimited options for character personalization, each player can make the story play out as he or she wants it, meaning no play-through is ever the same.

“Mass Effect” is the shining example to help the “video games are art” side of the debate, but that doesn’t mean that few games qualify.

Every game is a visual representation, and somebody has to design the visuals needed for you to enjoy. Graphic de-signers and concept artists work together to bring the world inside a game to life, as is the process for creating movies, too.

While the world of video gaming may be still young in its 40 or so years of existence, video games still possess the qualities to captivate audiences.

Just as movies give us escapes from reality, games allow us to imagine, but also to give choice to the player, letting him or her experience it differently than the next player.

While there are games that are strictly created for action and entertainment, there are those game-changers that throw wrenches into the cogs and raise debates like this. As long as the world has creative minds to create masterpieces and open minds to take their work in, it doesn’t matter what medium is considered “art.”

Video Games as Art?By Sash Seamans

Some say President Obama made it possible. Others say it was a matter of time. Mem-bers of the LGBT community say gay marriage should have made a stand a long time ago.

Post election this Novem-ber, several states finally made a statement and legal-ized gay marriage. All over the country, there are people celebrating the fact that rights for the citizens of the United States are now beginning to be made equal for all U.S. citizens.

Many people are not cel-ebrating, though.

One main argument for the illegalization of gay marriage is that it destroys traditional marriages. Another argument is that it is goes against the beliefs of certain religions. Yet another argument is that it is just plain “wrong” and unnatural.

Many advocates want to know: How does one couple’s marriage destroy the tradition of other marriages? Are gay couples insisting that tradi-tional marriages be illegal?

Advocates for equal mar-riage rights also want to know how religion can be an argu-ment. Most gay couples are not asking to get married in a Catholic church or a Jewish synagogue.

And finally, how can one say that something is just plain “wrong” without specific reasons?

Have these opponents to same sex marriage thought, “Hey, maybe my strictly conservative marriage is offensive to gay couples.” Or maybe that traditional marriages are against another religion. Maybe heterosexual couples seem “wrong” to a same sex couple.

There is no reason to say that the love between one couple destroys the love be-tween another couple. When heterosexual couples get mar-ried with very promiscuous themes in Vegas, is that not against the idea of traditional marriages?

When atheists get married, is that not against religions?

It is legal for a fifty-year-old man to propose to an eighteen-year-old girl. Is that not seen as “wrong” to most people?

Yet the target remains to be gay couples.

Why?The bottom line is, if you

do not like gay marriage, then do not get married to your same sex. Do not go to a same sex marriage.

Problem solved.The happiness of one

couple should not affect the happiness of another couple. People are made to do what makes them happy.

Generally speaking, getting married to the one you love makes you happy.

Do not take away some-one’s happiness just because you cannot come to terms with the reasons he or she is happy. Worry about yourself.

Image retrieved from psu.com“Mass Effect,” above, may be evidence of video games as an artform.

The Right to Marry

tion KLKN.It was an opportunity for

a group of people who crafts for extra income to sell their wares in a public venue on the busiest shopping weekend of the year.

Many of the crafters in-volved in the project promote their products on a local Facebook group page called “Homemade Crafts For Sale.”

SCC student Bree Seybold attended with her family and said she was able to do a lot of Christmas shopping right there.

“What I like about this is that I send a lot of gifts to family out of state and it’s hard to know what they already have or don’t have,” she said.

“If I shop at places like this,” she added, “I can

guarantee they’re getting something unique that they couldn’t have already re-ceived from someone else or purchased themselves. Plus, a lot of these vendors are taking special orders and they’ll do customization.”

Many area churches and organizations begin the fall season with bazaars and holi-day craft events, and some are still coming in the weeks ahead.

One will be held on Satur-day, Dec. 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. At this time, St. Mark’s United Methodist Church will be holding their Holiday Gift Boutique featuring many lo-cal vendors as well.

For information on the events listed here or other future events, visit the Face-book group page, “Lincoln, Nebraska Area Craft and Vending Events.”

Area crafters, cont’dContinued from page 1

SCC Challenge Friday, December 7, 2012 3News

Nebraska Public Power District Board members presented each of Southeast Community College’s three campuses with checks on Nov. 20 during the monthly meeting of SCC’s Board of Governors.

Each check was in the amount of $5,167 and was awarded to SCC’s Beatrice, Lincoln and Milford campus scholarship funds.

Gary Thompson, NPPD Board first vice chairman, and member Ken Kunze presented the checks, which are proceeds from the 21st annual Wells Fargo Nebraska Open golf tournament that took place Sept. 13-16 at Elks Country Club in Columbus.

“It’s been a great relation-ship,” Thompson said of the tournament’s connection to Nebraska community col-leges. “And I have to men-tion Ralph Johnson (former NPPD Board member and late husband of SCC Board of Governor Ruth Johnson), who made sure this tourna-ment happened. We certainly appreciate SCC’s participa-tion.”

More than $1.1 million in scholarship money has been raised during the Nebraska Open’s run, thanks to the generosity of tournament sponsors and golf profession-als. Funds raised from the event go toward scholarships for students at five of Nebras-ka’s community colleges.

SCC has received $219,000 from the tournament since it began.

“The opportunity to work

By Hannah Blumhardt

After winning their first Student Organization Impact Award, Licensed Practical Nurse Association of Nebraska members are focusin on helping others throughout this holiday season.

Just one year ago, the Southeast Community College Beatrice chapter of the LPNAN received their first award at the 61st annual LPNAN convention awards.

The convention was attended by thirty-six students from the Beatrice Practical Nursing program along with Program Chair, Crystal Higgins and local LPNAN advisors Pat Lorenz and Karen Stevens.

The award was in honor of Beatrice’s LPNAN mem-bers demonstrating a commitment to the field of nursing, participation in community service projects, assisting in fundraising activities and attendance at the state conven-tion. Nancy Drent, a practical nurse of Beatrice, accepted a $350 LPNAN grant as well.

Today, however, LPNAN members are out to help sup-port the community again, as the holiday season is here. Students in the Beatrice chapter are sponsoring a food and clothing drive for residents in Beatrice and nearby areas.

While LPNAN members are encouraged to support their community each year, the students are more dedi-cated than ever this year.

LPNAN student advisor Pat Lorenz said that since 2009, the students have gathered nearly 4000 pounds of food. She noted that nearly 300 pounds of that was gath-ered for an emergency food drive a few months prior.

The food and clothing drive is taking place will end soon, and items will be distributed to the Blue Valley Food Pantry and the Prestart and Headstart child programs at the SCC Beatrice Campus.

NPPD awards more than $15,000 in golf tourney proceeds to SCC scholarship funds

Photo contributedFrom left: Bob Morgan, SCC’s dean of virtual learning/Be-atrice Campus director; Gary Thompson, first vice chair-man of NPPD’s Board; Lyle Neal, SCC’s vice president for technology/Milford Campus director; and Ken Kunze, member of NPPD’s Board of Directors. Not pictured: Jea-nette Volker, SCC’s vice president for student services/Lincoln Campus director.

with you and the other com-munity colleges to put on this golf tournament is very special,” Kunze said.

“The Wells Fargo Nebraska Open has a reputation of pro-viding literally hundreds of opportunities for community college students to complete their degrees, continue their studies, or simply get a solid foot into their college educa-tion,” said NPPD President and CEO Pat Pope. “NPPD is proud to support an event that improves the quality of life for so many individuals in communities within our service territory.”

Endorsed and adminis-tered by the Nebraska Section

of the PGA and the Nebraska Golf Association, the tourna-ment is coordinated by the NPPD and has been held at the Elk’s Country Club in since 1992. More than 50 businesses sponsored this year’s event.

While Wells Fargo re-turned as this year’s title sponsor, other national, regional and Columbus-based companies such as Behlen Mfg. Co., Curry Relocation Co., Eakes Office Plus, Gene Steffy Ford, Kelly Supply Co., Midwest Medical Transport, Nebraska Energy Federal Credit Union, and U.S. Bank helped make the tournament possible.

and was awarded the posi-tion of professor emeriti. He still volunteers with various extension programs.

Germer has been involved in numerous civic organiza-tions throughout the years, but he may be best-known for his more than 20 years of work on “Yard and Garden,” a live call-in program on KWBE and KUTT radio stations

NCCA Honors Germer, cont’dContinued from page 1 in Beatrice and Fairbury.

He also was an occasional guest on Nebraska Educa-tional Television’s “Backyard Farmer.” This summer, Germer judged horticulture and woodworking categories at eight county fairs.

Germer advised high school students who are insecure and not sure what they want to do to explore a community college.

“You’ll experience smaller classes, get a good general education, narrow down your areas of interest, and save money,” he said. “You also mature a little bit, which is something you need to do.”

Germer and his wife Son-dra have six children, five of whom attended Southeast Community College’s Beatrice Campus.

LPNAN Finishes Up Coat, Food Drives

By Lisa Frank

Do you know a student attending high school in SCC’s surrounding 15-county district that will be heading to college soon? If so, you should tell them about the Learn to Dream scholarship that is offered by SCC.

This scholarship was cre-ated solely to help students who want to continue their education after high school, but may not have the finan-cial means to fulfill that wish.

The Learn to Dream schol-arship pays for up to 45 credit hours, or around $2,400 of tuition at Southeast Commu-nity College.

Recipients can attend any of the SCC campuses with this scholarship. Once enrolled, the recipient must maintain a

Learn to Dream Scholarship Offers Free Tuition

2.0 GPA to keep the scholar-ship.

Also, the recipient does not have to be enrolled full time to use the scholarship, and they have two years to use the money.

All high school seniors who qualify for a free or reduced-price lunch are eligible for the Learn to Dream scholarship.

Even if students do not qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, they should still talk with their counselors about eligibility for this schol-arship.

To apply for this scholar-ship, students should com-plete admissions for SCC, fill out and turn in the FAFSA, and get the Learn to Dream scholarship form from a guid-ance counselor or online at www.lps.org/learntodream.

By Harold Bowen

DNA swabs and dental impressions sounds more like stuff from television shows like CSI, but in this case it relates to what SCC Dental Assisting students do when they are teaching youngsters about dental hygiene.

Dental school chairperson Crystal Sthur said, “Students are required to do at least 30 hours of community service,” otherwise referred to as Share Program hours.

Part of those hours in-cludes assisting with the

Dental Assisting Students Serve the Community

Child Identification Program, or CHIPs for short.

In this case, students assist the Rotary Club of Lincoln to identify children by swabbing their mouths for DNA and taking dental impressions as well as video documentation of the child.

According to Dental Assist-ing Program graduate Andy Darnell, “It’s about raising awareness (about dental hy-giene)…especially with kids.”

Sthur says, it is important to “key in on daycare cen-ters and third grade classes (about) oral hygiene care.”

4 Friday, December 7, 2012 SCC Challenge

Sports & Activities

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The SCC Challenge

By Matt Hagemeier

BEATRICE - The South-east Community College men’s basketball team split their games in the SCC Holi-day Classic Friday, Nov. 30, and Saturday, Dec. 1.

On Friday SCC lost to Kan-

By Matt Hagemeier

BEATRICE - The Southeast Community College Lady Storm basketball team came roaring back from a 15 point second half deficit to upend Kansas City Kansas 69-62 in day one of the SCC Holiday Classic Friday, Nov. 30, and Saturday, Dec. 1, at the Truman Center.

SCC was down 44-29 early in the second half before clamping down on defense and taking advantage of sev-eral KCK fouls.

The Lady Storm pestered KCK into 15 second half turnovers and 16 second half fouls.

SCC took advantage of those fouls hitting 17-27 from the free throw line in the second half.

Mesha Phillips led the Lady Storm with 19 points and four steals. Destiny Whitehead added 14 and Callie Per-cival chipped in 12.

SCC lost to Frank Phillips College on Saturday 70-60.The Lady Storm started strong and jumped out to 9-0

lead before Frank Phillips’s talent and depth took over in the second half.

Frank Phillips won the boards and the turnover battle, out rebounding SCC 48-40 and forcing 28 turnovers.

After a slow start Natasha Thomas came alive for FPC, pouring in 25 points to go along with six steals.

Mesha Phillps led SCC with 18 points while dishing out six assists. Destiny Whitehead notched 15 points, includ-ing 2-4 from the three point line.

Lady Storm Goes 1-1 for Holiday Classic

Photo contributedAbove, the 2012 - 2012 SCC Lady Storm basketball team.

Men’s Basketball Team Splits its Games for Holiday Classic

sas City Kansas Community College 71-63.

SCC led at halftime 30-29, but was outscored 42-23 in the second half. The Storm struggled offensively in the game, shooting just 34 percent from the field and 19 percent from the three point line.

Head Coach Joel Wooton said his team “had a chance to blow them out” in the first half.

Wooton said his team is playing better defense, but it is hurting on the offensive side with players “doing too much standing, not mov-ing around,” and added that players are “trying too hard to make things happen, instead of trusting the offense.”

Josh Roberts led the Storm with 14 points. Delquan Thomas added 13 despite playing on a bad ankle.

That ankle would prevent Thomas from playing in Saturday’s 84-68 win over York JV.

Coach Wooton took many positives from the game.

“The York game was actu-ally good for our guys, they struggled, and when they let them get ahead, they showed

they have some grit,” he said. “I wanted them to work

through it without me having to call a bunch of timeouts,” Wooton explained, “and they did and finished the game the way they should have played earlier, started getting stops and forcing bad shots which led to A transition for us.”

“That is an important les-son for our guys to figure out for themselves,” he added. “It was also good to overcome adversity; with Deli out and all the foul trouble, it was hard to get a rhythm going in the game, but they overcame it without me having to show them how.”

“The best lessons are the ones the players work through for themselves,” Wooton continued. “It’s a part of the process of really learning how to play. After they watched on film a lot of light bulbs began to come on. It is a part of developing trust in each other and in what we are trying to do.”

Trey Porter led the Storm with 20 points. Jerrod Gam-ble notched a double/double, scoring 16 points and pulling down 13 rebounds, while Fer-nando Hildreth added 12.

By Matt Hagemeier

BEATRICE - The Southeast Community College men’s basketball team took down Doane Junior Varsity 76-59 Tuesday, Nov. 27, at the Truman Center.

Head Coach Joel Wooton called the game a “grind” and said sometime it’s a challenge to get his teams to get up for games where they have a physical mismatch over their opponents.

Wooton said the slow and methodical pace that Doane JV played with was frustrating to his players at times.

The Storm shot 51 percent from the field and 70 per-cent from the free throw line.

Delquan Thomas led SCC with 15 points, while Trey Porter added 12 and Lamar Connor chipped in 10.

Wooton said he is happy with the team’s record of 7-3 heading into the Holiday Classic Friday, Nov. 30, and Saturday, Dec. 1. Two of SCC’s losses were to Division I powers Cloud County (86-69) and Northern Oklahoma-Enid (78-76). SCC is a Division II school.

Storm Takes Down Doane JV

By Matt Hagemeier

BEATRICE - The South-east Community College Lady Storm overcame a sluggish start to roll Nebraska Wes-leyan Junior Varsity 77-55 Tuesday, Nov. 27, at the Tru-man Center.

SCC led 32-27 at halftime.The Lady Storm got rolling

in the second half, shoot-ing 52 percent from the field while holding Wesleyan to 28 percent from the floor.

Head Coach Vicki Wooton said the team needs to “start better” and added that they would not be able overcome a slow start against some of the better teams coming up on the schedule.

Wooton was pleased with how the Lady Storm started the second half, saying the team “played together.”

Mesha Phillips led the way with 25 points on 11 of 14 shooting, while Destiny Whitehead had 14 points for the Lady Storm.

Lady Storm Overcomes Sluggish Start Against Wesleyan JV

By Matt Hagemeier

BEATRICE - The South-east Community College men’s and women’s bas-ketball teams spent their Thanksgiving holiday playing in the Hesston Classic Friday, Nov. 23, and Saturday, Nov. 24. Both teams went 1-1 in the Classic.

The Lady Storm beat Hess-ton College 78-64 on Friday. The game was tied 33-33 at halftime, but SCC outscored Hesston 45-31 in the second half to power their way to a win.

Head Coach Vicki Wooton said the Lady Storm came ready to play and did a good job of “working as a team and sharing the ball.”

Destiny Whitehead led SCC with 20 points, while Callie Percival notched a double/double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Olivia Moore added 14 points, help-ing her earn a spot on the all classic team.

The SCC men avenged an earlier loss to Hesston by handling the Larks 84-62. After a 34-34 halftime tie the

Men and Women Each Go 1-1 at Hesston Classic

Storm dominated the second half, outscoring Hesston 50-28.

Hesston had no answer for Delquan Thomas.

Thomas poured in 28 points and grabbed an incred-ible 22 rebounds to go along with eight assists and six steals. Jerrod Gamble and Trey Porter each added 16 points.

The Lady Storm fell to Northern Oklahoma College-Enid 75-60 on Saturday. Coach Vicki Wooton said it was a tough game from the start.

The coach said the team was “sluggish” and that sev-eral players were not feeling well.

The Lady Storm started off strong in the second half, but Wooton said the team “start-ed to lose focus” with about three minutes remaining as NOC-Enid ran away with the win.

NOC-Enid’s Marisha Wal-lace proved to be a handful for SCC as she poured in 44 points. Mesha Phillips led the Lady Storm with 23 points, while Olivia Moore added 10.

The loss dropped the Lady Storm’s record to 7-3 on the season.

The SCC men’s team lost a heartbreaker to NOC-Enid 78-76 to cap off the Classic for SCC.

The Storm owned the first half, going into halftime with a 47-39 lead. But SCC cooled off in the second half, shoot-ing just 37 percent for the game and getting outscored 39-29.

Fernado Hildreth led a bal-anced scoring attack for the Storm, leading the way with 15 points. Josh Roberts had 14 points, while three other SCC players added 11 apiece.

The loss droped SCC’s re-cord to 6-3 on the season.

By Neil Young

Have you ever been stuck in a situation that has left you without words? Ever had trouble pulling something out of your memory when you need it most? There may be a fairly simple solution to these problems all with the change of your diet.

Science suggests there are numerous varieties of foods that can help support healthy brain function and memory improvement.

Foods That Make You SmarterMany variations of vi-

tamins and minerals are responsible for healthier brain function. Some include Omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin E, antioxidants (vitamin c, vitamin a), small amounts of caffeine and monosaturated fats.

Omega 3’s are especially important and not to be confused with any other fatty acid compound (polysatu-rated fats) that are mostly found in meat. These other

Continued on page 5

SCC Challenge Friday, December 7, 2012 5More News

fats can cause depression and aggression.

Omega 3’s are commonly found in fish and nuts, such as walnuts. Choline, a com-pound fat found in eggs, is also good for stamina build-

Smart Foods, cont’dContinued from page 4 ing brainpower.

Some foods rich in these include, beans, pomegranate juice, tea, blueberries, salmon and avocadoes.

All of these have one basic thing in common when introduced to the body. They

By John Rector

Southeast Community Col-lege’s TRIO Program will con-tinue to accept applications through the winter quarter.

This program was put into place to assist first-genera-tion, low income students. The program also assists students with disabilities.

Federally funded, the TRIO Program was created for students who demonstrate need to overcome class, social and cultural barriers along their journey toward higher education.

Ronald Glenn, the director for the Lincoln campus sees the program’s goal as increas-ing retention, graduation and transfer rates.

All TRIO students are assigned a counselor to help succeed academically. This is achieved by the student and their advisor creating an “Individual Success Plan.”

TRIO students have access to laptop computers and text-book lending programs.

Students in this program also receive information for special off-campus activities, opportunities to take part in various leadership roles and campus visits for transfer purposes. This is available

through TRIO’s Student Sup-port Services office.

In addition, SSS offers workshops in study skills, stress management, time management, money man-agement and résumé develop-ment.

Applications are accepted at any time during each quar-ter. However, the program is limited to 160 students per year.

The application to be a TRIO/SSS student is two pages. Potential students are asked questions regarding their background and future educational plans. A copy of the student’s and/or parents’ most recent tax information is also requested.

Copies of this application can be found in the TRIO/SSS office, Room H-1 on the Lincoln campus, or e-mailed upon request by calling the TRIO/SSS office at 402-437-2766.

For general questions, stu-dents interested in applying can call the TRIO/SSS office at the same number. For more specific questions, stu-dents are welcome to contact Ronald Glenn at 402-437-2758 or rglenn@southeast.edu.

TRIO Program Currently Accepting Applications

By Stephanie Waterman

The new Texas-born taco shop down-town has made quite the entrance here in Lincoln.

Fuzzy’s Taco was originated in Fort Worth, Texas, where Alan and Chuck Bush saved the business from going under in 2003. They have expanded and now have 43 locations over seven states.

This unique taco shop has picked the perfect location in Lincoln, right on the cor-ner of Centennial Mall and O Street right next to Pickleman’s.

The restaurant has only been in Lincoln for a short time, but has already made a name for itself. It has adapted well enough to have already had the company of local superstars Rex Burkhead and Taylor Marti-nez as customers.

Additionally, Fuzzy’s has incorporated their Husker spirit by adding Nebraska-themed decorations in their restaurant along with the loyal Texas decorations. The décor features flags and decals as well as flat screen televisions located all over the restaurant.

But this is not exactly your typical sports bar atmosphere. There are bright greens, yellows, reds and blues infused everywhere, making for a very friendly and exciting vibe.

This out-of-the-box place is split into two separate areas: a place for dining in and a decent-sized bar.

They are separated at just enough space to enjoy the proper purpose for either, and in between the two spaces are restrooms that are clean, spacey and brightly lit.

Fuzzy’s is the New Big Fish in Town!Along with the fun atmosphere comes a

very inviting staff. The staff at Fuzzy’s is welcoming and

always offering advice to new customers. It is apparent that they enjoy their job and too feed off the atmosphere.

The menu seems similar to all the rest containing tacos, burritos, enchiladas, na-chos, salads and soup. But Fuzzy’s has put its own twist to these menu items.

Included on the menu are fish and shrimp tacos that can either be grilled in style or a tempura cook. Also served at Fuzzy’s is crawfish, which gives it an upper hand because very few places in Lincoln serve crawfish.

Another unique ingredient the restau-rant features, among many more, is feta cheese. Rather than using the standard cheddar, tacos are topped off with fresh feta.

Fuzzy’s is also famous for its alcohol specials. There is always a cheap price on tap beer at Fuzzy’s as well as dollar Jell-O shots. And don’t forget about the margari-tas.

Special to Nebraska is their beer called Shiner Bock, a beer based out of Texas and very hard to find here in Nebraska.

In addition to their food and drink, Fuzzy’s sells attire. Offered are everything from hats to shirts to koozies and even its special seasoning and sauce for a low price.

Tourists and residents alike will be cruising O Street looking for that big ar-row pointing to the new popular hangout, Fuzzy’s Tacos.

increase blood flow and fight free radicals that can be damaging to overall bodily functions.

Some studies also suggest that sugars and carbohydrates not mixed with proteins or fats also boost brainpower.

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Entertainment6 Friday, December 7, 2012 SCC Challenge

By Spencer Hansen

In October, English rock trio Muse released their sixth studio album, “The 2nd Law” after a three-year production period.

As sort of a change of pace and style from their five other albums, “The 2nd Law” shouldn’t disappoint long-time Muse fans too much, as their sense of epic genre-mashing, out-of-the-box al-ternative style hasn’t changed one bit.

With a fast climb up the rock charts since their 1999 debut, Muse lead singer Matt Bellamy’s powerful vocal range set the band apart from most bands at the time.

Upon the 2006 release of “Black Holes and Revela-tions,” Muse hit the nail on the head, selling more cop-ies than any of their other albums.

“Black Holes” is a perfect example of Muse’s genre-blending, fusing synthesizers with the band’s hard-hitting rock and Bellamy’s choir-esque vocals.

Following suit of the band’s change of sound with their “us versus them,” anti-government concept album “The Resistance” in 2009, “The 2nd Law” varies from Muse’s days of “Black Holes and Revelations” quite clearly.

The album has a fun vibe to it compared to their past albums, a vibe you imme-diately get from the James Bond-inspired, bass-driven groove of the album’s opening track “Supremacy.”

The single from “The 2nd Law,” “Madness,” becomes the hook to draw long-time fans into their new sound, us-ing a synth/bass background rhythm to set the stage for

Muse Changes Pace on New Album

By Amy Curry

We all know the typical Christmas shows that we grew up as children watch-ing on network television. “Charlie Brown Christmas,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” and “Frosty the Snowman,” to name a few, air every year.

Some of us can tell you that the ABC Family channel airs a 25 Days of Christmas theme beginning each year on December 1st that consists of solid holiday programming for nearly an entire month.

Still more of us can tell you that the Hallmark Channel begins its holiday program-ming as early as the first week of November. With all these Christmas programs out there, is it possible there is a Christmas movie you’ve never seen?

In case you’re bored of the 24-hour “The Christmas Story” marathon that airs on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, here are some movies you may never have seen that deserve a watch.

We start with the comedy genre.

Opinion

The Best Christmas Movies You’ve Probably Never Seen

Photo retrieved from rottentomatoes.comAbove, Sarah Jessica Parker stars in “The Family Stone.”

Ask someone to name a Christmas movie comedy and you’re likely to hear “Home Alone,” “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” or “Elf.” I would challenge you to ex-pand your list to include the 2008 movie, “Four Christ-mases.”

Starring Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon as the lead characters, the unmar-ried duo have to visit four homes in one day so they can squeeze in each person’s divorced mother and father.

Robert Duvall steals this movie from the usually hilari-ous Vaughn, as his crotchety, set-in-his ways Dad. The scenes with Vaughn’s char-acter’s brothers, portrayed by Tim McGraw and Jon Favreau, are equally enter-taining and more than make up for the awkward addition of Sissy Spacek as a cougar mom.

Moving on to Christmas romantic comedies, if you’ve never seen the 2001 movie “Serendipity,” you should definitely try to catch it this year.

It stars John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale as a pair who meet while Christmas shop-

ping. They both feel there might be a spark, but rather than see where it goes right then, Beckinsale’s character insists they leave it up to fate to see if they will meet again without ever having exchanged names or phone numbers.

Honorable mention should go to Jeremy Piven who plays Cusack’s best friend, three years before he became a star on Entourage. He’s charm-ing and endearing and some of the best lines of the movie are his.

Lastly, if there is only one new movie you vow to watch this holiday season, the honor should go to the 2005 title, “The Family Stone.” This often-ignored beauty has something for everyone.

It features big names like Diane Keaton as Stone matriarch, Sybil, and Ra-chel McAdams as youngest sibling, Amy. The rest of the Stone family is rounded out with Craig T. Nelson; Durmot Mulroney; Luke Wilson; Ty Giordano as deaf and gay brother, Thad; and Elizabeth

Reaser before her Twilight years.

The plot hinges on Mul-roney’s character bringing his snobbish, up-tight, future fi-ancé, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, to the family home for Christmas where he intends to propose.

Keaton does fantastic play-ing the role of the mom who can’t accept the woman her son has chosen, while McAd-ams is deliciously devious as the little sister bent on mak-ing life hell for the new girl.

Wilson plays Mulroney’s stoner brother Ben, whose facial expressions will elicit laughs all by themselves.

Funny and heartwarm-ing, this movie is a director’s triumph.

On the surface, it looks as if “The Family Stone” is any other comedy turned tear-jerker. In reality, Thomas Be-zucha, who also directed “Big Eden” in 2000 and “Monte Carlo” in 2011, is a genius with the closing frame of the movie, and if you aren’t pay-ing close attention, you will miss the creative masterpiece.

Buy it, borrow it or rent it. You won’t be sorry.

Bellamy. The band also tacks an-

other genre off of their list by lacing dubstep in with Dominic Howard’s electronic drums on “Follow Me” and also in the first half of the sci-fi driven, two-part mock symphony closer from which the album derives it’s name.

What really makes the al-bum stand out is the rock op-era chosen as the theme song for the 2012 London Summer Olympics, “Survival.”

Brace yourselves for this powerhouse of a rock opera, as the drumming picks up pace, the bass digs deep and Bellamy showcases every-thing he has vocally, all while being backed up by a mock choir and masterful guitar riffs.

All in all, “The 2nd Law” seems like a turn in the right direction for Muse.

This album seems like a good way for newer fans to really get a taste of what the band has to offer, as “The 2nd Law” is a roadtrip through many styles and genres, which is what Muse is known and loved for.

While the days of “Absolu-tion” and “Black Holes and Revelations” are over, Muse has discovered and already capitalized on a more mature, yet still fun sound that really only they can pull off.

By Hannah Blumhardt

One of the most thought provoking books I have read, “The Art of Racing in the Rain,” is an inspiring book for all ages.

Have you ever wondered what your dog is thinking? One would think dog owners everywhere must have some bit of curiosity.

Sure, I had a childhood dog. He’s still alive today, but since reading this book I’ve begun thinking, “Does he know a lot more that’s gone on over the past eight years than I think he does?” According to this book, the answer is yes.

I purchased this book after it had been suggested to me by my dog-loving family and friends. After adopting a puppy of my own this year, the book seemed to give me a whole new insight.

The story begins with Denny Swift, an avid Seattle racecar driver. Denny’s trusty sidekick is named Enzo. Enzo has been with Denny since he

Review

ReviewThe Art of Racing in The Rain

was a pup and believes he will be recreated in to a human in his next life.

Through Enzo’s life, he has watched Denny’s evolve from the point at which Denny first met the love of his life, Eve, and as their lives gradually formed together until they were one, big, happy family.

As one knows, life often has its obstacles, however. After bringing their first born, Zoey, into the world, Eve falls ill.

Denny is left to care for the baby and Enzo all while work-ing a full time job to achieve his dream of becoming a pro-fessional racecar driver.

Enzo senses trouble before it has even struck as Eve’s health worsens. When Eve’s parents decide it is best for Zoey to live with them, Den-ny is left lost and alone; this is when Enzo knows it is his time to prove he can someday be a man.

With Eve on her death bed, Denny is thrown into an ugly custody battle with his

Continued on page 7

SCC Challenge Friday, December 7, 2012 7News

By Kandice Grove

Christmas time is a very special time of year. For many people Christmas consists of family, presents, traditions and, of course, food.

Many families have different traditions, mine however has just one. Every year my grandmother, sisters and I get together and make some amazing food.

We bake cookies, breads, pies, brownies and fudge to name a few. We bake, eat, laugh and most important of all, we love. This time together is what I look forward to most throughout the holiday season.

My first and favorite recipe is for monkey bread. This is delicious sweet, gooey bread. Best of all, it is not only deli-cious, but also extremely easy to make.

My second recipe is for white chocolate macadamia nut cookies this once again is a simple recipe that the family is sure to love. Enjoy!

Monkey BreadYield: 10 servingsBaking Temperature: 350 degrees FEquipment: Conventional oven, bunt panBaking Time: 35 minutesIngredients:

5 packs of Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits4 cups brown sugar4 Tbsp. cinnamon2 sticks real butter melted

Procedure:1. Open biscuits and cut each one in half. 2. Roll each half into a ball3. Melt butter in bowl4. Pour brown sugar and cinnamon into bowl5. Dredge each ball into the butter, than brown sugar6. Place ball in bundt pan7. Repeat steps 5-7 until all balls are covered with butter,

brown sugar, cinnamon and placed in the pan.8. Place bunt pan in oven and bake for 35 minutes9. Remove from oven and let cool

White Chocolate and Macadamia Nut CookiesYield: 50, 2 oz cookiesBaking Temperature: 350 degrees FEquipment: Mixer, Conventional ovenBaking Time: 10-12 minutesIngredients:

Sugar 8 ozBrown Sugar 12 ozShortening 1 lb.Eggs 4Vanilla 2 tsp.Baking soda 2 tsp.Salt 2 tsp.Macadamia nuts, chopped 8ozWhite Chocolate chips 1 lb.

Procedure:1. Cream sugar, brown sugar and shortening until light2. Add eggs to creamed mixture one at a time. Add vanilla3. Blend flour, baking soda and salt together. Add to

creamed mixture4. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips5. Portion dough onto parchment-lined pan6. Bake 7. Cool completely before storing(Source: On Baking)

by Jamie Wolff

‘Tis the season to be jolly, to indulge and enjoy family, friends and food. Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year only come once a year, so what’s the harm in having one more slice of that pecan pie?

A lot, actually. Studies from the University of Oklahoma show the average person gains one pound over the holiday season and that those already overweight gain an extra three to five pounds.

What’s worse is that the weight stays on after the holidays are long gone. Over time, this continual weight gain can lead to seri-ous health concerns like diabetes and heart disease.

So how can you stop yourself from packing on the holiday pounds? Avoiding grandma’s special recipe sweet potato casserole or your co-workers world famous double chocolate cheese cake is not a practical option. In fact, if you try to avoid your favorite treats, you’re more likely to cave and binge eat.

Fun and easy Christmas recipes

How to avoid holiday weight gainHere are some easy ways to help keep the

calorie count down or offset those extra indul-gencies.

1. Drink water before, during and after your holiday meals. Not only will it help you feel full faster but it is a calorie free option. Drinks like soda, tea and hot chocolate are filled with sugar and empty calories.

2. When attending a potluck, bring a healthy option. A fruit tray (minus the dip), marinated vegetables or hummus are all great low calorie options. When you fill your plate, take a large portion of your healthy dish first, leaving less room for the high calorie, high fat foods.

3. Choose the smaller plate. When you hit the buffet pick up a salad or dessert plate; if the food doesn’t fit on your plate, you can’t eat it.

4. Be active. Turn the music up and start dancing, suggest a walk around the neighbor-hood to look at holiday lights or challenge friends and family to a game of twister or limbo.

By Nicholas Howe

Ninety-six graduates will take the stage for the Fall Quarter Commencement on the Beatrice campus.

Proceedings will be held in the Truman Center on Friday, Dec. 14, 2012 at 7 p.m.

Steve Hovendick, AAMS Financial Adviser, Wells Fargo Advisers, LLC, will be doing the commencement address.

Hovendick graduated from University of Nebraska at Lincoln in 1982 with a major in Business Administration.

He was chosen by members of the Beatrice administration for his business leadership in the community, his generos-ity shown in his volunteer work throughout Beatrice and his status as a role model.

This years graduating class totals ninety-five college pro-gram graduates and one GED graduate.

There will be four Phi The-ta Kappa members, meaning they received a GPA of 3.5 or higher, and a total of twenty-four 2012 Summer Quarter graduates.

These graduates will be

Beatrice to Graduate 96recognized by Mr. Thomas R. Cardwell, dean of student services SCC.

Robert Morgan, dean of virtual learning and Beatrice campus director, will give the welcome and present the graduates.

Dale Kruse, a member of the SCC board of governors will be awarding the degrees and diplomas.

Dolen Freeouf, a science and math instructor, will be playing the processional as well as the recessional.

in-laws. Enzo knows Eve’s parents are no good for Zoey, but there is little he can do.

In this tragic, heart-wrenching story we see that dogs are more powerful than we could ever imagine. They know things about the world human’s could never grasp or understand. And sometimes they even have the answers we are looking for.

Book Review, cont’dContinued from page 6 In the end, it is because of

Enzo that Denny and Zoey are reunited. They move to Italy where Denny accepts the offer of a lifetime to work with racing.

Enzo passes away quietly before the move; but when he awakes, he is a young boy. But not just any young boy, he is an aspiring, racecar driver in Italy.

By Shannon White

LINCOLN - According to the press, financial experts and certain politicians the country is in recession, mak-ing budgets tight and money hard to come by.

College students struggle to find entertainment that is free or inexpensive, and here are a few ideas to save money and still have fun.

Southeast Community College provides students with several free or inexpen-sive entertainment options.

The Lincoln campus at 84th and O Streets offers students a recreational center that includes basketball and weightlifting among other op-

Lincoln campus offers recreation opportunities

tions that are free to use. The main campus also

offers ping-pong, pool and video games that are available to play in the student lounge.

Students are also encour-aged to participate in intra-mural activities such as 3 on 3 basketball and summer softball leagues.

SCC also offers free popcorn and ice cream on days advertised, often pro-viding students with a quick snack for in-between or after classes.

In addition, the campus of-ten offers free movie viewings to students, showing recently released and sometimes clas-sic films.

8 Friday, December 7, 2012 SCC Challenge

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