KALEIDOSCOPEFebruary 28, 2011 Vol 42 No 10The Student-Run Newspaper of Kishwaukee College, Malta, IL 60150

SportS-pg. 8

- Spring is in the air- Dr. Thomas weighs in

- New soccer coach named- Softball and baseball begin

Take a peek...

EditorialS-pg. 2

- Haish Handbook - Kish Air is too slow

FEaturES -pg. 4/5

NEwS-pg.3

-Dr. McGee resigns- KC program evaluation begins

a&E-pg. 6

- Our very own comic book store- Check out Dekalb’s music scene

CampuS liFE - pg. 7

- Start prepping your graduation portfolio- What are you doing during Spring Break?

Check us out online:

facebook.•com/kishks-cope

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blog.kishks-•cope.com

By Valentina AndrianopoulosStaff Writer

Many of Kishwaukee College’s clubs participated in the Student Activities Fair in the cafeteria on February 23. Each club was hand-ing out flyers and candy for anyone willing to take a look at their stands. For those of you who didn’t have the opportunity to check it out, don’t worry. Each one of the clubs told us what exactly they are trying to accomplish this semester, and for future semesters as well.

The Veterans club: Our main purpose is to help other military veterans suc-cessfully achieve a degree. We also help them adjust to a civilian lifestyle and get through the norms of college life. We are currently looking for new members to join our club. Phi Theta Kappa: We help to participate in valuable service projects and inspire scholarship and leadership in our members. Criminal Justice Club: We have recently tak-en a trip to the police acad-emy and in April we had

people come to the college to speak to our members. Our club is a good way for people interested in major-ing in Criminal Justice to get good references and learn from educated teachers. It is also good for people who are undecided to consider this class. Green Club: We are here to promote environ-mental awareness through-out our community and in this college. Around here, we rely on agriculture and so we bring up the needs that are necessary to con-tinue a healthy environment.

In the past we have gone on environmental walks and had presentations about re-cycling in other schools. Latino Unidos: We are trying to get people to-gether and educate them on the Latino and Hispanic cultures. We’re hoping to get more people involved in the community and promote awareness of our club. Student Government Association: We are here to conduct business for stu-dents. They can come to us for any problems they have. All of our events are based strictly for the students.

Student Activities Fair raises awareness of Kish clubsClubs included Vet’s Club, Green Club, Student Association, PTK & Criminal Justice Club. Photos by Valentina Andrianopoulos

By Valentina AndrianopoulosStaff Writer

Recently at Kish-waukee College, an ongoing study has been conducted on all of the students outside the classroom. Many teachers throughout the campus have been complaining about the constant noise that lin-gers throughout the college (specifically in the A 200’s and 300’s). So some faculty members decided to throw a research project together known as the Noise Study. “We all know that there has been an increase in enrollment this year, and there probably will continue to be throughout the course

of the next few years,” Steve Ullrick, one of the many ad-ministrators involved, ex-plains. “This has definitely increased the noise level throughout the A-wing. The noise goes upstairs and into the faculty offices, where many teachers have trouble concentrating. There have also been some complaints about the gym areas noise level. So, we decided to get an acoustical engineer to do a noise study to come up with things that we can physically do to get the noise level down.” This acoustical en-gineer was unknowingly put into the school grounds, where he then measured the intensity of the noise levels and the consistency as well.Ullrick continues, “We be-

lieve that in the future, with the new Student Service Center, a lot of students will migrate over there where they can be a bit noisier. But that won’t happen for a few more years. What this study is trying to do is help us to figure out something a bit sooner. We have been considering a plan to make the TV lounge and the game room more accessible to the students so that they can hang there instead. We in-terviewed a few students to get their input on it, and they seemed to like the idea.” Right now there are multiple people working on this campus problem. All of the VPs, the president, and the administrators are in-volved in discussing what they can do to curb the

noise into a different direc-tion. The Student Services are currently working on the game room idea, and how to draw the student’s attention to that area. The results of the Noise Study have not yet been released. They are hoping on viewing the out-come of this study, and con-cluding on what should be done. “We will start talk-ing about what we can do as far as programming and moving them to the game room or TV room. It will re-ally make a huge difference once we have the new build-ing. But for now, we have just received the results and will be taking a look at it this week.”

Kish conducts noise study to find solutions

Kaleidoscope staff and editorial policy

editorial/opinion2 Kaleidoscope february 28, 2011

Congress shall make no law respect-ing an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peacably as-semble and to petition the Gov-ernment for redress of grievances.--First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

StaffEditor-in-Chief.....Jessi HaishManaging Editor...Lexi BaisdenWeb Editor...Will IrelandCopy Editor...Marissa SkonieFeatures Editor...Audrey Latimer

Staff Writers.....Valentina Andrianop-oulos, Lindsey Clark, Levi Hensley, Grace Martin, Hannah McClure, Melissa Meyer, Jessica Pflipsen,

Adviser.....Melissa Blake

Editorial Policy

Letters to the editor may be dropped off at the Kaleidoscope office or put in the Kaleidoscope mailbox. The Kaleidoscope is published approximately eight times each semester by Kalei-doscope staff. If you wish to submit a letter to the editor, please do so, but unsigned let-ters will not be considered for submission. Anonymity can be

requested by the author and will be granted at the discretion of the editor. All letters may be edited for length, clarity or libelous content. Opinions expressed on the editorial page are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editorial board of the Kalei-doscope or Kishwaukee College as a whole. Stories marked (OMS) were provided by the college’s Of-fice of Marketing Communications.

The Kaleidoscope is a student operated newspaper serving the students of Kishwaukee Col-lege, Malta, Illinois. Opinions in the newspaper do not reflect the views of Kishwaukee Adminis-tration, students or faculty. The Kaleidoscope is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press.

The Haish Handbook: Kish’s culture is falling apart

Letter from Lexi: Finding the good in the world

By Jessi HaishEditor in Chief

At the beginning of this semester I assigned two Kish clubs to every staff member. “Keep in touch with the advisers; always know what’s going on with these clubs. I want us to be able to cover what’s going on and I don’t want any more excuses for not having any news

stories,” I recall preaching. The staff nodded. Within the first week, I had reporters sheepishly sliding their feet back and forth up to my computer. “The club has been canceled,” they would say. I would assign them another to replace it. The next time, the same thing would happen. It baffled me. Philosophy club, music club, Tae Kwon Do club, turf club…the list came in. Not a list of possible news stories but rather clubs that, according to my staff members, didn’t exist anymore. “Low interest.” Those two words have haunted me since

my first semester here at this fine institution. My first semester here, fresh out of high school, I eagerly signed up for multiple journalism classes. I was hoping to see if it was the right choice for me. I was hoping to get a grasp of what journalism would be like. The classes were canceled due to “low interest.” The same thing happened with theatre classes this semester for countless other students. Any classes that aren’t your average math, science, English or history seem to be avoided like the plague. A large number of people appear to have a lot of this “low interest.” No interest

to join a club or sign up for a different class. What do you guys do to entertain yourselves here? If you’re not taking these “different” classes you must already know what you want to do with the rest of your lives. But what about the rest of us who need to dabble? We won’t have anything left. I always thought community college gave us the opportunity to experience multiple fields before declaring one as our choice. Future Kish students may not have that luxury. It applies to clubs, it applies to classes. If this keeps up, we aren’t going to have these programs

or extracurricular clubs anymore. We won’t have anything except for the requirements. Then we’ll complain that we have no variety. But for now, students aren’t signing up and even if eight students sign up for a class, it’s simply not enough. Why? It doesn’t make money. Any culture or life that Kishwaukee College seems to have is slowly disintegrating right before our eyes. Who is going to step up and change the path this is going down?

By Lexi BaisdenManaging Editor

Is it just me or do

people always seem to want more? More food, more technology, more friends, more respect... It’s like a never-ending cycle of hunger. You may be filled by something temporarily but later on you’ll discover that you are still empty. No matter what you try to fill that space with you’re always going to long for something more. How did our society come to have such distorted appetite? If there was no evil in our world, no sin or digression, would we be like this today? Don’t get me wrong.

I think that it’s great to want something. I’m not saying that it is wrong to have a dream or a goal. However, I do think that it is wrong when you are completely consumed by your appetite. If you are always wanting more, all the time, then you are in a very dark place, my friend. These kinds of appetites are never going to be fully satisfied. Don’t let them rule your life. Appetites are always going to scream at you - they are always going to be hungry for something right at that instant and never later. And

sometimes, when we meet what we have been desiring, it appears better than what it actually is. Be wary and hold onto your deepest morals and values in such times. Remember what you stand for and don’t let sin stand in your way of doing what is right. If you have been following my column then you know that I am a Christian. Once again, I am in no way trying to shove my beliefs down anyones throat, but this is what I wholeheartedly believe. I believe that we can’t fight our appetites

on our own. We need to ask God to redefine our appetites. After all, healthy appetites were created by God and it is sin that has twisted them. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:6) You want more? Look around you and see that the world is good.

By Jessica PflipsenStaff Writer

First off, I would like to admit I am probably ad-dicted to the Internet. Sec-ondly, my house is located somewhere between the Twilight Zone and the Stone Age. We have multiple ob-jects from every era, along with having dial-up Internet. So when I heard last year, that Kishwaukee College had wireless high speed, I jumped for joy and

brought my “We only got you this for college” laptop, which I affectionately named Danny. But lately it seems that for some reason the KishAir has become “KishS-mog” and is about as slow as my Internet at my house back on the juncture of the Twilight Zone and the Stone Age. I use to be able to surf the web, update Danny, buy a song from iTunes (and so not download illegally), and download videos all at the

same time. Now I can hardly surf the web! Just the other day I was trying to update Danny and the wait time was two hours, for some-thing that should have been ten minutes! What happened here? Is there too many peo-ple for the server to handle? Well that can’t be entirely true, because I’m here dur-ing that lull between noon and five pm and the web was still, like that little train engine, “thinking it could”

but not quite making it. So is it broken? If so, is anyone planning on fixing it anytime soon? I be-lieve they should! Not for the “Face-Space” users or the avid YouTubers, but for the student who just wants to email their teacher a ques-tion on the last assignment and also get a timely re-sponse. Crank up the speed for the student that needs to watch a video clip for a class. Or for the Teacher that wants to show a short

clip online. Upgrade this tired system for students that can’t do any of this at home. A student like me and may-be even a student like you. Please Kishwaukee College, it would be nice if you just hit the “go faster” button again on the master controller of the High Speed WiFi. Clean up the KishAir and help our students and teachers get what they need online at the speed of “faster than what we have now”.

Send us your letter to the editor...

kscope@kishwaukeecollege.edu

WiFi High Speed? More like why hasn’t the page loaded yet!

Email your letters to the editor.... kscope@kishwaukeecollege.edu

news Kaleidoscope 3february 28, 2011

By Grace MartinStaff Writer

Kishwaukee College says goodbye to Dr. James McGee, Dean of Mathe-matics/Education/Science/Health Division, whose res-ignation was effective Feb-ruary 22. Dr. McGee has made many contributions to Kishwaukee College since he joined the staff in 2006. He worked with other faculty

members to develop the En-gineering Math and Science Academy. The EMSA is a program created for high school students who believe that they want to pursue a career in Engineering or Math. Students begin the program their Junior year. By the time they enter col-lege as Freshmen, the fall after they graduate, they will have accumulated 26 hours of college credit. Dr. McGee also helped launch Northern Il-

linois Online Initiative for Nursing, or NIOIN. NIOIN is a hybrid program that of-fers a nursing degree in two years. NIOIN is the collabor-ative effort of four local com-munity colleges and eight lo-cal hospitals. Students can take classes online, and lab and clinical experience are given on site at either the college or hospital. Dr. McGee has also been important in support-ing the Therapeutic Mas-sage Program and Ra-

diologic Technology. The Therapeutic Massage Program is accredited by the Commission On Mas-sage Therapy Accreditation (COMPTA) . The Radiologic Technology program is ac-credited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT). These accredi-dations ensure that students who recieve their educa-tion at Kishwaukee College are ready to take jobs in the field. Dr. McGee has also

been a supporter of using the technology available to Kishwaukee, such as Black-board. Until a new Dean of M/E/S/H is found to replace Dr. McGee, Dr. Jean Kartje (the current Vice President of Construction), will be overseeing the department.Dr. McGee has accepted the position of dean of Math and Sciences at Elgin Commu-nity College.

Dr. McGee resigns, search for new MESH dean begins

By Melissa MeyerStaff Writer

Kish is currently un-dergoing its annual manda-tory program evaluation as required by the Illinois Com-munity College Board. This year, the programs under evaluation are social and behavioral sciences as well as the automotive tech, avi-ation, building construction trades, collision repair, die-sel tech, education and truck driving programs as well as the counseling & advising, financial aid/veterans and library service departments.

The evaluation pro-gram operates on a five-year rotation and lets the state know how efficiently the college is operating and if programs are be-ing offered where they are needed. Since many of the local community colleges share an agreement that says if a student attending, say, Kish needs to study a program that is only offered at, say, Waubonsee, the student can sign up to take it at Waubonsee for Kish’s in-district price. This way students in the entire area can still study what subject

they need to but at a price that is reasonable for the student. Part of the purpose of the evaluation program is to determine what programs are offered in the area col-leges, if there is demand for certain programs and if the programs offered are effec-tively serving the needs of the students. There are four basic guidelines for evalu-ating a program: the objec-tives of the department and to what extent they are be-ing achieved, the needs of the students, the quality of the program and whether or not the college can accom-

modate the needs to offer it, and the cost-effectiveness. According to Kish Vice President of Instruction Dr. Jean Kartje, the program is necessary to the college because it challenges the college to look at what is or is not needed by students and to plan for the future based off their findings. For exam-ple, if a program is seeing a continuous decrease in en-rollment over a span of time, the program may be cut be-cause there simply would not be enough demand for it. If the students are not demanding a program, the

occupation it serves is likely not in demand in the com-munity. The student demand of programs reflects what is and is not needed in the local job market. In a way, the program evaluation is almost like a census and ob-servation of enrollment may give a glimpse into the fu-ture. Since there is a higher demand in programs such as criminal justice, nursing and science, Kish is building new additions to the school to accommodate the pro-grams more effectively and construction is scheduled to begin in July.

Kish begins program evaluation

OMS

Kishwaukee College is now accepting submis-sions for the Illinois Com-munity College Trustees As-sociation 2011 Paul Simon Student Essay Contest. The competition is open to all Kishwaukee College stu-dents with the award being

reimbursement of the win-ning student’s Spring 2011 tuition and fees. Applica-tions are available at the Kishwaukee College Finan-cial Aid Office; deadline for completed application and essay is March 14. Students entering the competition submit an essay on the following topic:

How My Community College Changed My Life. The essay must be 500 words or less and be typed. Each essay submitted will be evaluated by members of the Kishwau-kee College English faculty and will be judged on the ba-sis of writing style, clarity of expression, and relevancy to topic with special emphasis

placed on correct grammar and punctuation. Any essay not following the stated rules will be disqualified. The Kishwaukee College winner also will have his/her essay entered into the state competition for an additional $500 stipend toward Fall 2011 education-al expenses. The winner will

also be invited to attend the Illinois Community College Trustees Association Ban-quet in Springfield on June 3 in Chicago. For more informa-tion, contact the Kishwaukee College Financial Aid Office at 815-825-2086, ext. 2240

KC accepting Simon Essay competition submissions

Laurie Hoecherl

Phi Theta Kappa, the col-lege’s honor society, has organized a Banned Books Club where we read and dis-cuss selections from a list of most commonly challenged books. The first Banned Books Club meeting was held in April 2010 and we dis-cussed Harry Potter. The second meeting of the Banned Books Club took place in November 2010 to discuss The Giver, by Lois Lowry. We had a thought pro-voking discussion that includ-ed many insights and raised significant points about that

book, as well as making con-nections to other books with similar themes. At the end of that meeting, the group se-lected the next banned book.Lord of the Flies by William Golding was the focus for the Banned Book Club meeting at the start of this semes-ter. Attendees took part in a great discussion about a group of school boys strand-ed on a tropical island, mak-ing connections to society as a whole. At the end of that meeting, the group selected the next banned book: Amer-ican Psycho, by Bret Easton Ellis. The next Banned Books

Club meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 30th, 2011 from 3:30-4:30 pm in room B-102 to discuss Amer-ican Psycho, by Bret Easton Ellis. Refreshments will be served and everyone is wel-come and encouraged to at-tend and participate in this ongoing Banned Books Club. Copies of American Psycho are available at the front desk in the library. So grab a copy to read over spring break, and then come join us for a

lively discussion.

PTK’sBanned Books Club Update

features4 Kaleidoscope february 28, 2011

Spring is in the Air!Warming up to Spring

FashionsBy Audrey LatimerFeatures Editor

It’s that time of year again. When the sight of a snow flake kind of makes you sick to your stomach, when all you want to do is shove the ice scraper through thewindow you have been scraping for ten minutes, and when on one day it will be in the mid 50’s only to plummet to 17 degrees the next. Yes, it’s definitely the last few weeks of winter. That’s right the Groundhog didn’t see his shadow, so spring is right around the corner. You know what else is right around the corner?Spring Break. We made it through yet another horrendous Illinois winter and now it’stime to celebrate. Whether you are one of the lucky ones heading to a tropical oasis or just hanging out around here for our mini vacation

there’s no doubt what is going to be on everyone’s mind, warm weather. It’s almost time to peel off those 5 layers that you’ve been hiding under the last few months and slip into somethinga little less bulky and a little more revealing. Its not only the weathermen that took notice of Punxsutawney Phil’s search for his shadow, the fashion world wasready to go all out for Spring too, and after seeing some of the trends for this season it’s no doubt that spring is in the air, and on the runway and store shelvestoo. Winter is notorious for being a drab, cold time where color is hard to come by. But, come spring it’s a complete 360. Now is the time to give your wardrobe a turnabout and get ready for the warm months ahead. Here are some ideas to get you started.Blast from the Past: 1970’s.It’s no secret that vintage has been and always will be the cool thing to do. Recentlythe 1950’s and 60’s have had their

moments in the fashion spotlight and now it’stime for the 70’s to shine. I have often heard of the 70’s as the decade that fashion forgot, well it’s remembering it now in a huge way and making 1970’s effortlessly cool once again. -High waisted, wide legged pants are really popular this season. Tuck you shirt into them and pair it with a long necklace or vest and you will look quintessentially 70’s. -Silky shirts with billowing sleeves are for the real fashion risk takers. Sincethe sleeves are such a big part of this look I wouldn’t use lots of accessoriesto avoid looking like you’re play dress up. -Need a dressier look? The 1970’s goddess look can be yours by investing in a long, flowing silk dress with a low neckline. -That leather belt is going to be used a lot this spring! Slip is on over a dress or skirt to add some interest to your outfit.

-Accessories can really make or break an outfit. Too much and you look ridiculous, too little and you risk being boring. Well, no one ever told the women of the 70’s that. Lots of jewelry is the way to go this season. Rings, bangles, and long pendantnecklaces are just the thing to take an outfit from blah to ooh la la. Another popular accessory? Cat eye sunglasses. So cute!Color Me Bright-Pops of color where insanely popular on the runway. Corals, pinks, oranges and anythingneon or citrus colors are welcome. For those of you ready to be drenched on color try a fun nail polish or eye shadow color in neon. It is after all spring, so bring on the bright hues to drive awayour winter blues!

Ideas for the Perfect “Stay-cation”

By Valentina Andrianopoulos Staff Writer

Don’t tell me. The long anticipated spring break is finally here and you have absolutely nothing planned? Thought so. The thought of staying home while everyone else goes out to exotic lands may seem dreadful, but it’s not all that bad. Believe it or not, you have other options. So fear not! We’ve got plenty of things that you can do this spring break to liven up your stay-at-home experience. Go out to the movies! Or simply have a movie night indoors with some of your stay-cation friends. But make it big. Popcorn, cotton candy, two-liter

sodas, -the whole nine yards. Have a whole movie marathon, but make sure that they are movies everyone will enjoy. Do something new. Challenge yourself. Whether it be finally gaining the courage to ask out that special someone or simply going bowling for the first time, create a new experience that you will remember for years to come. Get some exercise! We, as college students, don’t need anything more than good old fitness. With all of our late night drinking and three hour classes to sit through, it’s about time we burn it all off. Not only does exercise keep us healthy, but it relieves stress as well. And remember, it’s spring time now. Going out and playing your favorite sports is another alternative. Take a small trip to the windy city with some close friends. Even if you can’t goout of the state (or country),

Chicago has plenty to offer when it comes to food and entertainment. Visit some of the prestigious museums and theaters or simply go for a walk by Lake Michigan. If you’re feeling extra romantic, take a boat out onto Lake Michigan and star-gaze. Find things that fit your personality. If you’re a girl, you may prefer going out to the mall with some friends, getting your nails/hair done, or having a girls night out/in. Maybe have a huge sleepover with all of your closest friends. If you’re a guy, you may want to get some friends together and play your favorite video games or simply hang out and get competitive with some dangerous outside sports (air-soft, paintball, etc.) Have a late night bonfire with friends. Make sure that everyone provides a snack, and enjoy yourself. Plan a get-together with friends or family and have a game

night. Put together multiple board games, computer games, etc., and see who can win the most. Make it into a competition if you like. If you’re currently dating someone, spend some quality time with them. With your busy college schedule, you must be missing countless hours of their company. Do something special together while you can. Write down a list of places you’ve always wanted to visit on some pieces of paper and choose one from a hat. Get a friend or two to go with, (or go alone if you like) and have an out-of-town day all to yourself. Remember, these are only a few of your choices. Don’t limit yourself to the boring company of your bedroom. There are plenty of things you could be doing this spring break. Make this stay-cation one worth remembering!

Having fun with Orange this Spring Cat Eye Sunglasses: A cute way to avoid the rays.

1970’s Chic is effortlessly cool.

features Kaleidoscope 5february 28, 2011

Scott checks in from IrelandBy Scott ConroIreland Correspondent

It has been great to leave home for a while and experience Ireland’s culture. When I think of home I have begun to think of my apartment in Carraig Abhainn. Although it has only been a month and a half, Ireland is already the home I’m thinking about as I sit here at the Regent Hostle in Paris. It is to the point where I want to walk into every Irish pub I see just for the craic.

The study abroad program in Carlow allows students the opportunity to meet different nationalities because of its proximity to the Continent. It also allows students the chance to travel to revered destinations in Europe at a reasonable price. Ryan Air flights can be as low

as 16 Euros (Paris BVA to Barcelona) and is used by many within Europe. It is a good way to save money or to travel somewhere nearby for a weekend (such as Oslo, Norway).

Students in the spring can plan longer trips. Sarina Cirmarusti, a Harper Community College student studying in Carlow for her second straight semester, thinks the spring semester is set up better than the fall. “We could only go out on the weekend during the fall semester...their weren’t any long breaks.”

This semester is about five weeks longer than the last and includes more breaks. We have three breaks we can take advantage of: a full week off for mid-term (which was last week for me), Thursday and Friday for St.

Patrick’s Day, and a two week Easter break coming the last half of April and into May. This is perfect for students who are interested in the Carlow program for chance to do some heavy traveling.

The fall has its own particular advantages though. First, the scenery is more vibrant and pops out much more during the first four feild trips in the fall. The dead, brown flowers covering the Black Stairs Mountains in January turn purple during warm season. Second, the begining of the school year is a great time to meet new people. It allows a study abroad student the chance to adapt learn their surroundings along with their peers. Students have gathered a circle of friends and developed routines by the time a spring student arrives. But

let this detour you.

“The American group seems to be smaller in the spring,” Sarina says. “It allows you to meet a lot of different people and to travel with the group making memories that will last a long time after the program.”

pictured: Sarah Butz, Shelby Rich, Sarina Cirmarusti, Tori Klaas, Samantha Rydberg and Scott Conro.

Participating at Kish: Clubs, Tutoring, Sports…and LeVar Burton?By Dr. ThomasKishwaukee College Instructor

Is Kishwaukee College worth participating in? In a way, I’m glad I can’t hear your response. There is a lot of cynicism out there—and, as I noted in my first column, it doesn’t help that many of us are “transients” here. But being here for only short periods of time should not keep you from reinvesting in Kishwaukee College. In fact, you might be foolish in passing up the rare opportunity to make a real difference and out-compete others when applying for scholarships and jobs. I’d like to suggest some activities that we all should invest in—whether we’re faculty or students.

Our school’s clubs present some of the most underappreciated opportunities on this campus. Club participation provides opportunities for leadership, creativity, and friendship

with like-minded individuals. Through club membership, you can form meaningful bonds with faculty advisors who can later attest to your contributions in letters of recommendation. You can heighten awareness about issues that you care about—the Green Club, for example, draws attention to important environmental issues. And all of your participation in clubs adds significant value to scholarship applications and resumes. If you were at a larger school, you’d likely be one club member among dozens. At Kish, you might be asked to be the Vice President within a month of regular service. Imagine how that will impress the scholarship committee!

The Learning Skills Center provides numerous resources for student success. In my anecdotal experience so far this semester, it’s the ‘A’ students who are making the most use of its

resources—and that should say something. If you’ve got a paper coming due before Spring Break, or you’ve got a big math test coming up, consider visiting the helpful writing tutors or check to see if your math class has a specific tutor to help you with a tough problem or how to study for the test. My fellow faculty members should remember that the LSC provides test proctoring—and that’s helpful when you just can’t coordinate a meeting with a student. I cannot say enough about the good work being done down in A306—but as LeVar said on Reading Rainbow, “You don’t have to take my word for it.”

Finally, let’s all resolve to check out an athletic event sometime this spring. Yes, the seats in the gym are pretty cramped, and yes, the music is sometimes so loud that you can’t talk to anyone that you came with, but I enjoy the opportunity

that I have to see some of my students compete and succeed. We’ve got a new baseball field opening soon. The basketball teams are entering their regional tournaments. Athletic Director Karen Wiley runs a pretty good set of programs here at Kish. Last week, she and her team hosted a fundraiser for breast cancer awareness. They raised nearly $1000 for the cause—and that was with only a handful of faculty and students on hand to bid on items and offer donations.

These are but a few activities that you should consider getting involved with in the coming semester. You’ll benefit Kishwaukee College in many ways—but even if you don’t care too much about that (although I hope you’ll come around to it!), the personal benefits and rewards are significant. And I hope you will take my word for it.

Will’s Tech Korner By Will Ireland Web Editor

There is a common misconception I would like to bring to light. I’d like to talk about the misconception that all tech savvy people can do anything with technology very easily. The truth is, not everything is easy. For instance, I have been stumped on adding a feature to the Kaleidoscope website. This feature, a slideshow of news stories like you might find on other news websites, was very hard to implement. I was practically pulling my hair out trying to make it easy to edit and add stories to the slideshow. In other cases, there isn’t always a logical way to do something, forcing me to think of a “work around” which can take quite a bit of time depending on the situation.

On the other hand, there are some things that are much easier than people think. For example, using a scanner. I have encountered many people who don’t know how to use a scanner, when, in reality, it’s not that hard. It’s easy enough for anyone to learn how to use.

Next time you don’t know how to do something, write to kscope@kishwaukeecollege.edu or write on our facebook wall. You might see the answer in the next issue of the Kaleidoscope! Just don’t send it four days before the paper comes out, or you probably won’t see it in the upcoming issue. I’m waiting for YOUR question, send it in TODAY!

arts & entertainment6 Kaleidoscope february 28, 2011

By Marissa SkonieStaff Writer

DeKalb can be pretty boring. This seems to be a common known fact. Even though we live in a college town, there doesn’t seem to be much to do. Thankfully all college students seem to have a common love for music and DeKalb is fully equipped to support our musical desires.

Of course the biggest amphitheater around is the Northern Illinois University Convocation Center. In the past year alone it has showcased such bands as Jason Mraz, T-Pain, Drake, Michael W. Smith, Newsboys, T.I, and Ludacris. Recently, students have been getting excited for the Wiz Khalifa show happening in April. If you want to go, make sure you get your tickets soon!

Looking for something a little smaller? The House Café is for lesser known but equally as rocking bands and is also a great place to make new friends. They serve delicious food, coffee, and other drinks for you to enjoy while rocking out. In March they have scheduled performances by Emarosa, The Color Morale,

MegaNyra, Southeast Engine, The Brothers Burn Mountain, Is World, and several other bands. Or if you want to try something a bit different and maybe get your own musical talents heard, you’re welcome to perform at Open Mic Night every Monday.

Finally, for our readers twenty-one and over, you can enjoy a variety of concerts at Otto’s Nightclub. This March they will feature bands like American English (a great Beatles cover band), Sleeping Under 47, The Tossers, MER, Brian Lavender & Whiskey Bent, and The Chordvettes. On nights with no bands playing there are amazing D.J.s spinning and you are encouraged to visit their “underground” dance floor.

Hopefully these venues will provide some sort of satisfaction for your musical desires. For more information on any of the shows listed above or for information on other upcoming events, feel free to visit any of the venue’s websites. Otherwise, keep reading the Kaleidoscope for your updates on what to do to keep yourself entertained in DeKalb.

By Melissa MeyerStaff Writer

It might be hard to see, but we do in fact have our very own comic book store near our campus. It is located in the lower end of the Village Commons at NIU. It is Graham Crackers Comics - part of an Illinois-based franchise- and it has been part of our community since 1999. However, many students don’t even know that it’s there. While that’s not too hard to believe, since many Kish students don’t

ever need to visit the Village Commons, it really is worth everyone checking out, from the avid comic book collector to the casual fan. They carry comic related merchandise including toys, t-shirts, posters, graphic novels and paperbacks, collectible card games including the popular Magic: The Gathering cards, as well as an impressive array of comics. And if they don’t have what you’re looking for in the store, you can order from their website at www.grahamcrackers.

com/dkstore.htm, or check out one of their eight other locations. Stop in to see them before you hit the internet though. The store has a helpful staff and a certain charm to it for sure, but the coolest part is that we are actually lucky enough to have them here. There aren’t very many comic book stores like this one around anymore. It’s important to support local businesses, especially those that deserve it. Graham Crackers Comics definitely deserves a look. They are

open Monday through Friday from 12p.m. to 7p.m. and Saturday from 11a.m. to 5p.m. You can find them at 901C Lucinda Avenue in DeKalb. You could also call at (815) 748-3883. What are you waiting for? Go check them out already!

By Hannah McClureStaff Writer In 1927, a group of film making profession-als had dinner at the home of Louis B. Mayer, a studio chief of M-G-M. Amongst Mayer was director Fred Niblo, producer Fred Beet-son, and actor Conrad Na-gel. These men shared the idea that contributors to the art and science behind film-making should be honored. Within the year, The Acad-

emy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was created. This non-profit orga-nization not only held black tie dinners to award the win-ners once a year, but also donated time and money to further progress their in-dustry. In 1930, at the start of World War II, the Acad-emy made over 400 training films for the armed services to train and protect their boys. The Academy created scholarships for students and continues to publish

many books on every as-pect of filmmaking. Today, many people see the Acad-emy Award show as simple entertainment once a year- hoping to see their favorite stars and their incredible wardrobe choices. We use The Acad-emy as a guide to find worth while films and do so appro-priately; this establishment has changed over the years and has had many great presidents and philanthro-pists amongst it’s members.

Last year Jeff Bridges won for best actor in Crazy Heart, this year he is nominated again for True Grit. Colin Firth for the King’s Speech is another as well as Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Net-work, James Franco in 127 Hours and Javier Bardem in Biutiful. The nominees for Best Actress in a Leading Role are Michelle Williams in Blue Valentine, Jennifer Lawrence in Winter’s Bone, Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole, Natalie Portman in

Black Swan and Annette Bening in The Kids Are All Right. We had a great year for movies! The ten that are nominated for best picture are: Black Swan, Inception (let’s hope it wins on the ac-cord of the academy), The King’s Speech, The Kids are Alright, The Fighter and 127 Hours. What did you think of the show? Write about it on our Facebook wall!

Check out Dekalb’s music scene

Our very own Comic Book Store

Graham Crackers Comics is located on Lucinda Avenue. Photo by Melissa Meyer.

Another year of movies ends with awards

campus life 7 Kaleidoscopefebruary 28, 2011

By Audrey LatimerFeatures Editor

Attention students! Are you planning to gradu-ate this spring? Have you applied for graduation and have the required 64 cred-its? Well before you get your cap and gown there is one more thing you need to do: the portfolio. Teachers have been talking about this since the first day on campus but has anyone actually ex-plained it to you and what goes in to the final product? According to the Kishwau-kee College website the portfolio is a way that fac-ulty, staff, and even yourself can measure just how much you have grown during your

time here. Kish sees this as such an important tool that it has been made a gradu-ation requirement for an A.A A.S A.E.S or A.F.A. transfer degree. So what exactly is going into your portfolio? It is basically a summary of your academic work from classes you have taken here. Assignments, papers, programs, speeches, ex-periments, and artwork are all fair game from, 100 level and higher classes. There are six basic requirements that you portfolio must in-clude. The first is a cover letter, which will act as a summary of the contents of your portfolio and how your

time here at Kish has affect-ed you. The second is a piece of work that demon-strates you understanding of terms, facts, or concepts of a course. This can be either an oral or video recording or a written assignment other than a paper. The third require-ment is a piece of work that shows off your use of scientific or mathematical problem-solving skills. Ex-periments, math problems, or case studies work great! The fourth require-ment is a multi-source re-search paper with at least 3 sources and using MLA or APA format. The fifth requirement

is a piece of work that shows a higher level of thinking such as an analysis, critical thinking, or and evaluation. This needs to be accompa-nied by the course name in which you completed this work, when it was complet-ed, and where exactly the higher level thinking is. The sixth and final requirement of your portfolio is a description of and activ-ity that you accomplished while at Kishwaukee College or a description of your most satisfying experience as a student here. This is a very time consuming process so the sooner you begin the better. Even if you are not going to graduate this spring

it is still good to be prepared. Collect and save copies of your work and assignments that you feel would fit well into your portfolio. For those of you who do plan on grad-uating this spring the due date for the portfolio is April 7, 2011. If you have any questions of any kind, there is lots of information, a short slide show and examples of portfolios on the Kishwaukee College website. You may also visit the LSC (Learning Skills Center) where they will be more than happy to answer your questions, proof read, and show you examples of past portfolios. Good luck!

Start prepping your graduation portfolios

Amanda Cox:“Going to Pontiac, IL, to visit my grandmother.”

POLL: What are you doing for Spring Break?

Sabrina Kuykendall:“I’ll be at home, just working and taking a visit to Chicago.”

Devon Wilcox:“Working, being with

friends, and working on my car.”

Bianca Lawson:“Going to Ohio to visit my cousins.”

Jackson Kettner:“Staying at home and working.”

Bored? Check out our website

www.kishkscope.com

Compiled by Lindsey Clark

KOUGAR KORNERfebruary 28, 20118 Kaleidoscope sports

By Lindsey ClarkStaff Writer

Softball has officially commenced for a new sea-son with fresh players. The team plays 4 year schools such as UW-Green Bay, Ol-ivet Nazarene and Judson, and other 2 year schools as well throughout the fall season in September and October. But the training and practicing doesn’t stop there. Softball requires a year-round dedication to the sport, with practices begin-ning in August and ongoing

weight training and fitness programs through Novem-ber and December. Prac-tices started up again for the spring season on January 10, ranging from being held in the gym, the Wellness Center, and on the field. There the players work on throwing, hitting, running, fielding, and conditioning like speed and strength. Head Coach Bill Becker, who has been coaching since 1989 and has coached at Kishwaukee for nine seasons, said that in order to determine which

player is best for each posi-tion, “We have individuals working at certain positions. We recruit players from high school and summer travel-ing teams for their skills and then also have other player tryout.” Through practices Coach Becker is able to de-termine each player’s “level of skill, commitment, work ethic and how we best fit to-gether as a unit,” he went on to say. The season will of-ficially begin when the team travels to Florida during spring break to play a total

of eight games against other teams from states like Min-nesota, Wisconsin and New Jersey. There they will have a wide variety of opportuni-ties to practice outside, as opposed to currently being stuck inside due to the arc-tic weather in Illinois during February, to work on their skills and unite as a team. “I’m enjoying the season and meeting all the other players,” said fresh-man Tia Lexa, who has been playing softball since the tender age of nine. “We have a good team and we’re

really progressing and look-ing good so far.” With kicking off in the Sunshine State and an All-American assistant coach Teri Becker, softball looks to be having a promising sea-son. If anyone wants to play softball for the team in the 2012 season in the fall, contact Coach Becker with your email and contact in-formation or call his office at extension 4510.

KC softball starts up with fresh talent

KC baseball beginsBy Levi HensleyStaff Writer

Baseball season is just around the corner and Kishwaukee College is no exception. Basketball season is over and its baseball’s turn. The Kou-gars’ season will start on a brand new field, built in the fall of last year. The field is 330 feet down the foul lines and 400 feet to the back of center field. It is fully irrigated with 60’ dugouts, a new scoreboard in left center field, and two 70’ batting tunnels. The Kougar’s first home game of the 2011 is on the 24th against Madi-son Area Tech and Mike Davenport. Show up to cheer on your fellow Kougars!

Practice has begun in the gymnasium. Photo by Lexi Baisden.

OMS

The Kishwaukee College Athletics has named Kevin Bickley as the new head men’s soccer coach. Bickley assumed his duties this winter, according to Ath-letic Director Karen Wiley. Bickley and his wife, Mela-nie, live in Sycamore and have two children, Cam-eron, 13, and Lily, 8, both of whom play AYSO soccer. Kevin Bickley comes to the position with an extensive background as a coach and player, including play-ing on an adult men’s indoor league. Bickley holds a B.S. in Recreation Management from Indiana Wesleyan Uni-versity, where he played on teams that went to the Na-tional Christian College Ath-letic Association (NCCAA) national tournament for two consecutive years, 1992 and 1993. He received Hon-orable Mention recognition as an All-American Goalie in the 1993 NCCAA national tournament. Bickley current-ly plays with Men’s League

Indoor Soccer in DeKalb. He holds a Unit-ed States Federation “E” Coaching License and has coached both girls and boy’s soccer at the all age levels through middle, high school, college and private club soccer teams. He is one of the founders of the Spectre Soccer Club in DeKalb and was a coach for youth from U-14 through U-19 teams. He has most recently been the soccer coach for both the boys and the girl’s teams with Kaneland High School, coaching the 2010 Varsity Boys team to the regional championship. Bickley is looking forward to coaching the Kougar team, continuing to build on the successful foun-dation set by the team in the past several seasons. The team begins their season in early August, before the fall semester begins. Coach Bickley however has been holding regular open soccer nights on Wednesdays dur-ing the winter and spring. “I began coming to the open soccer nights in November

while (former coach) Josh Woita was here,” he said. “It has given me the opportunity to get to know the players.” Bickley stated that one of the key components in college play is the development of the player. “Building a strong team means finding the best players and then putting them in the right position,” he explained. Coaching a team at a two-year college presents unique challenges: coaches have a player for only two years of their college playing career. “I think there are advantages, too,” he said. “Players who come to Kish will definitely play. Unlike a four-year institution, first and second year students don’t sit while the seniors play. And there are scholarships available, too.” Bickley is mostly focused on creating his own team at Kishwaukee College. “I want to certainly build on the successful recent history of Kougar soccer

and continue the momentum in moving forward,” he said. “But I am excited and looking forward to having my own

team, having my coaching ideas and philosophy put

into practice.”

KC names Bickley head soccer coach

Kevin Bickley has joined Kishwaukee College as the new head coach for the Kougar men’s soccer team. Bickley has already begun working with the team and recruiting for the 2011 season. OMS photo.

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