The Advocate Vol. 49 Issue 5 – Oct 18, 2013

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Advocate October 18, 2013 Volume 49 Issue 5 Facebook.com/TheAdvocateOnline @mhccadvocate @mhccadvocate Check out our website for videos and more! 2013 FIRST PLACE General excellence Oregon Newspaper Publisher Association The Independent Student Voice of Mt. Hood Community College President Continued on page 6 Fall colors fill campus ASG president shares her inspiration by Katelyn Hilsenbeck The Advocate A SG President Laura Aguon is driven by something she rarely shares: She is the single mother of soon-to-be two- year-old Aubrey, her daughter. “It’s all sacrifice now so it’s better in the future,” said Aguon, elected by her fellow MHCC students in May. She has rerouted her life since she learned of her pregnancy. She had been accepted into the Integrated Media graphic design program at Mt. Hood, but withdrew due to her new time commitment. The Gresham High School graduate began to take online classes and got plugged into MHCC with ASG. She served as ASG director of communications, using graphic design skills she picked up at the MHCC-affiliated Center for Advanced Learning. “It totally tied in,” Aguon said. By the fol- lowing year, she was named ASG director of state and federal affairs. “I definitely can attribute my continued education to student government, because if it wasn’t for being a student leader here and having the support system and the fellow stu- dent leaders... I wouldn’t be here today,” she said. “I’m very blessed that I got hooked in.” Aguon, 20, became a single mom after Aubrey’s father, Robert, a military man and “the love of my life,” was killed in a traffic accident caused by a drunken driver. “Being a teen parent, and then the loss of my partner, has really put a huge wedge in what I thought I would be doing in the fu- ture,” she said. “But, I think it has ultimately put me on a better path. It’s been really hard, but it’s definitely pushed me to be a bigger person for (Aubrey).” The Advocate explores the creepiest places on campus http://www.youtube.com/ user/MHCCAdvocate Crisp autumn weather and brilliant fall colors have brightened the Mt. Hood campus this week. CREEPING OUT Photo by Carole Riggs - The Advocate Need costume ideas? Page 5 Photo by Carole Riggs - The Advocate Halloween bonanza Page 2 TRICK OR TREAT Page 2 Is it cool to trick or treat after 18? Find the perfect pumpkin patch Page 5

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The Independent Student Voice of Mt. Hood Community College.

Transcript of The Advocate Vol. 49 Issue 5 – Oct 18, 2013

Page 1: The Advocate Vol. 49 Issue 5 – Oct 18, 2013

AdvocateOctober 18, 2013 Volume 49 Issue 5

Facebook.com/TheAdvocateOnline@mhccadvocate @mhccadvocate

Check out our website for videos and more!

2013 FirsT plAce General excellence

Oregon Newspaper Publisher Association

The Independent Student Voice of Mt. Hood Community College

presidentContinued on page 6

Fall colors fill campus

ASG president shares her inspirationby Katelyn HilsenbeckThe Advocate

ASG President Laura Aguon is driven by something she rarely shares: She is the single mother of soon-to-be two-

year-old Aubrey, her daughter.“It’s all sacrifice now so it’s better in the

future,” said Aguon, elected by her fellow MHCC students in May.

She has rerouted her life since she learned of her pregnancy. She had been accepted into the Integrated Media graphic design program at Mt. Hood, but withdrew due to her new time commitment.

The Gresham High School graduate began to take online classes and got plugged into MHCC with ASG. She served as ASG director of communications, using graphic design skills she picked up at the MHCC-affiliated Center for Advanced Learning.

“It totally tied in,” Aguon said. By the fol-lowing year, she was named ASG director of state and federal affairs.

“I definitely can attribute my continued education to student government, because if it wasn’t for being a student leader here and

having the support system and the fellow stu-dent leaders... I wouldn’t be here today,” she said.

“I’m very blessed that I got hooked in.”Aguon, 20, became a single mom after

Aubrey’s father, Robert, a military man and “the love of my life,” was killed in a traffic accident caused by a drunken driver.

“Being a teen parent, and then the loss of my partner, has really put a huge wedge in what I thought I would be doing in the fu-ture,” she said. “But, I think it has ultimately put me on a better path. It’s been really hard, but it’s definitely pushed me to be a bigger person for (Aubrey).”

The Advocate explores the creepiest places on campus

http://www.youtube.com/ user/MHCCAdvocate

Crisp autumn weather and brilliant fall colors have brightened the Mt. Hood campus this week.

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Photo by Carole Riggs - The Advocate

need costume ideas?

page 5

Photo by Carole Riggs - The Advocate

Halloweenbonanza

page 2

Tric

K O

r

TreA

T

page 2

Is it cool to trick or treat after 18?

Find the perfect pumpkin patch

page 5

Page 2: The Advocate Vol. 49 Issue 5 – Oct 18, 2013

Editor-in-ChiefKatelyn Hilsenbeck

Living Arts EditorRebecca Gaulke

Opinion EditorDanny Perez-Crouse

News EditorKatelyn Hilsenbeck

Sports EditorAaron Marshall

Copy EditorRebecca Gaulke

Photo EditorCarole Riggs

Ad ManagerCameron Miller

Mt. Hood Community College26000 SE Stark Street

Gresham, Oregon 97030

E-mail: [email protected]

www.advocate-online.net #mhccadvocate

503-491-7250

SubmissionsThe Advocate encourages readers to share their opinion by letters to the editor

and guest columns for publication. All submissions must be typed and include the writer’s name and contact information. Contact information will not be printed unless requested. Original copies will not be returned to the author. The Advocate will not print any unsigned submission.

Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and guest columns should not exceed 600. The decision to publish is at the discretion of the editorial board.

The Advocate reserves the right to edit for style, punctuation, grammar and length.

Please bring submissions to The Advocate in Room 1369, or e-mail them to [email protected]. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Monday the week of publication to be considered for print.

Opinions expressed in columns, letters to the editor or advertisements are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Advocate or MHCC.

the Advocate

Missy Burchell

Greg Leonov

Joshua Dillen

Lindsay Frost

George Peery Alexandra James

Edgard Valencia

Q Quarterman

ReportersHoward Buck

Dan Ernst

Bob Watkins

Advisers

Video TeamMelissa Casey

Jared Lichtenberg

Editorial: When things go bump in the night

Opinion2 Oct. 18, 2013

“If you want the treats, you have to play the game”

comment from Anna M. on trick-or-treat poll

On Halloween, we like to have fun with the candy, supernatural horrors and pumpkins, but it’s time to talk about something very real and possibly very scary: student safety at Mt. Hood.

We are fortunate that not many crimes are com-mitted at Mt. Hood. This is thanks in part to the dil-igence of Public Safety. There are plenty of officers, cameras and workshop volunteers scattered around campus, making this place feel pretty safe.

The most pervasive crime over the years at the Gresham campus has been auto theft, and the number of cars stolen has declined each year, so the safety team must be doing something right.

But, at night, it’s a different vibe.The long stretches of dark halls and vacant

parking lots at Mt. Hood can be pretty creepy when nobody is around and many lights are turned off.

It doesn’t help that there aren’t as many public safety officers around, and the volunteers aren’t here either. If by chance a Public Safety of-ficer does witness a crime, the best he or she can do is call 911. Campus officers are not trained or licensed to handle dangerous situations. They are equipped with a baton and pepper spray, but those are not exactly weapons to strike fear in the hearts of criminals.

Yes, we now have plenty of cameras hidden around the campus, but a recording of a dude who got mugged isn’t much help to the dude who got mugged.

The school does have a good relationship with local law enforcement authorities, and it seems like there is always a cop fairly close to the col-lege. We understand that the Gresham Police can

respond to a situation very fast, but that’s still a big window for criminals to do their thing and still be home for dinner.

What can be done?There are a few things that students and fac-

ulty can do themselves to feel more safe. It may seem over-the-top, but never underestimate the power of the buddy system. A wily assailant is less

likely to strike if individuals stick together. Just walk with someone, a classmate or friend, to their car and have him or her take you to your car. Or, if it feels re-ally sketchy and there is no one to team up with, call Public Safety to be personally escorted to your vehicle.

Speaking of cars, when staying late at the college, try parking as near to the school buildings as possible, in a well-lit area. This will shorten the walk to your car and also make it less likely to be stolen.

Just in case, carry some basic defense items, such as keys, pepper spray and even wasp spray (report-edly more painful than pepper spray).

One thing Public Safety could do is make sure there are more officers, or possibly volunteers, sta-tioned on campus at night. We understand that staff-ing is already stretched thin, but more eyes at night would make a huge difference, psychologically at the least.

We are in no way saying that Mt. Hood is sud-denly in danger, or that we think that there will be a new crime wave out of the blue.

It’s just that things seem sketchy at night and a few additions to nighttime security would add some peace of mind.

Pubic Safety escorts are available by calling 503-491-7310.

“.....Also, you say “All teens and tweens want to listen to now are songs with a catchy beat that talk about sex, partying, relationships or some combination of the three.” This has ever been the case. Countless

blues, country, and rock artists, including Black Sabbath, Elvis, Fleetwood Mac, Madonna, Led Zepplin, etc. also made their dough (and music history) on these types of songs.”

Portion of an online comment from Amy on Miley Cyrus column

by Danny Perez-CrouseThe Advocate

Young Danny had just come home from a suc-cessful night of trick-or-treating. Dressed as a Power Ranger and escorted by his father, he had plundered many homes of their sweet treasures.

Ah, the candy always tastes better after braving the cold air and chafing costumes. Danny liked to finish the night by watching Halloween spe-cials, organizing his candy and handing out candy to those who would come seeking their own rewards.

What he did not expect was three grown men without costumes to come knocking. “Hey, man,” they said. “Choo Choo!” they said.

Danny was perplexed. Did these men want candy? Would they go away if he gave it to them? So, he handed them candy that they shoved in their pockets, and they left…

I hate to be that guy, but it’s really lame and in-appropriate to trick-or-treat after a certain age.

Halloween is a special night for kids because it’s the one time of year when they can get a ton of free candy, and not get as much crap from their parents for gorging on it. The reason it’s not cool for us older folk to go trick-or-treating is because, unlike kids, we can go to the store and get our own candy. We can make it Halloween whenever we want, which is a privilege that overage trick-or-treaters don’t ap-preciate.

Whenever I hand out candy on Halloween, I swear that half the trick-or-treaters are in their late teens or early twenties. Some don’t even have a costume.

It’s very irritating handing treats out to older people because it’s a night for kids who would not be able to get that candy otherwise. You are basically taking something that would be better suited inside the bag of a kid, than the bag of a dopey man-child with nothing better to do.

And there are better things to do. We have more income and resources than kids, so we can have awe-some Halloween parties with our friends with elabo-

rate costumes, candy, games, movies and other substances. When I was a kid, I was so jeal-ous of all the houses I stopped at with parties going on.

I understand some people like to hold on to their child-hood. I watch an episode of “SpongeBob” and get a Happy Meal every now and then for nostalgia’s sake. But, there is a point where it gets ridiculous. It’s like when you see a group of teenagers in the playpen at Mc-Donald’s, or racking up tickets at the local Chuck E. Cheese.

However, if you’re escort-ing some kids for Halloween, I think it’s fair game to get in on the action. You’re doing a nice thing and should be given a little reward.

If you are of a ripe college age and actually plan on going trick-or-treating, don’t. Seriously.

You need to grow up. Sorry if I’m spitting in the candy bucket here, but there are such better uses of your time. Give out candy, have a party, binge on horror movies, shove Skittles up your nose or any-thing else.

Old trick-or-treaters are like pimples on the face of All Hallow’s Eve that need to be popped.

That said, have an age-appropriate Happy Hal-loween!

Trick-or-TreaTing

You’re too old for it

To see student reactions to trick or treating, go to www.advocate-online.net

Do you think that trick or treating after 18 is lame?

Here’s what people said:

65%35%

Yes

No

*According to a survey of 63 MHCC students.

Talk to us!

To see the creepiest places on campus, go to www.advocate-online.net

Graphic Designer

by Rebecca GaulkeThe Advocate

My favorite time of the year is finally here: fall. And what comes with fall? Halloween, the hands-down best holiday of all.

The fact that Halloween takes place dur-ing the fall season is a reason why it’s the best. Unlike Christmas, it comes when the leaves are beautifully colored and bright, the sun is out (most days) and it’s still pleasant to be outside. While fall often has a significant amount of rain, this October is proving to be one of the most beautiful in a long time. As an Oregonian, I have zero complaints.

Some of my best memories are from Hal-loween: trick-or-treating with my sisters, and dressing up as matching pumpkins. Even the year I was stuck at home with chicken pox along with my oldest sister, it was still memo-rable because my other sister (who wasn’t sick) brought back to us our own bags of candy.

Next, there’s nothing more fun than get-ting scared out of your mind every day of the week. There are Halloween movies galore on TV, and this makes me very happy. As a horror movie buff, there’s no excuse not to watch one every night leading up to Halloween.

And did I mention the Halloween episodes

on all the great shows? Some of my all-time favorites have been the Halloween shows. My guilty pleasure is the 1990s show “Roseanne,” and let me tell you, there is nothing better than the hilarious Halloween episodes. Re-cently, I picked up the boxed collection of all nine seasons’ worth, and I’m more than a little excited to watch them all this year on Oct. 31.

Halloween lovers look forward to the holi-day every year, eagerly anticipating what their costume will be. While I hate to admit that I definitely don’t dress up every year, the thought of getting to be whatever I want for a day is just as exciting as when I was in elementary school.

Then, there’s candy. Clearly, candy is one of the most exciting aspects of Halloween. You have an excuse to sneakily eat all of the stuff you desire while waiting for the little munch-kins to ring the doorbell in their adorable cos-tumes. If you don’t enjoy seeing the little ones in their awesome costumes, then you don’t have a heart.

Of course, I can’t complain about pump-kin-flavored everything, either. Carving pumpkins, baking the seeds, pumpkin lattes, my famous pumpkin pancakes, and deliciously scented pumpkin candles: Because of Hallow-een, I can feed my pumpkin obsession to my heart’s content.

I fully acknowledge that I have and always will be riding on the pumpkin lover’s bandwagon each and every year. For instance, I’m all about that Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, which (like all great things) comes out only in the fall.

If all this doesn’t prove this season is the absolute best, then I don’t know what does.

The best time of the year

Graphic by Heather Golan - The Advocate

Photo by Jared Lichtenberg - The Advocate

Heather Golan

Correction: The Gluten Free Food Fair will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow in the Vista Dining Center.

Page 3: The Advocate Vol. 49 Issue 5 – Oct 18, 2013

Oct. 18, 2013 3News

Call 360-546-9779 to schedule an appointment with an admissions counselor.

New deans bring leadership, passion, creativity to job

Goldsmith wants MHCC to be the place to be

by Katelyn HilsenbeckThe Advocate

Interim Dean of Humanities Jim Kline has returned this autumn to MHCC, and to a cooler climate.

Kline was an adjunct faculty mem-ber at Mt. Hood in 2000-2009 before he left for the West Pacific Ocean island of Saipan.

He was the department chair of languages and humanities at Northern Marianas College there, and returned to the Pacific Northwest last Decem-ber.

“I enjoy the changing of the sea-sons,” he said. “When I was ‘on island,’ there were no seasons and I missed that. I really enjoy just being in this particular area in the world.”

Kline hopes to bring stability to the hu-manities department and to expand areas of study such as mythology and literature classes.

He has doctorate in psychology, a mas-ter’s degree in fine arts and creative writing, and a bachelor’s degree in English.

“I’m all over the map,” he said. His psychology degree includes an em-

phasis on the relationship between hu-manities and social science. “It’s definitely going to help me here,” he said.

Outside of the office, Kline said, “I like to play with my cats. I have four cats and I love them to death. Two of them are from Saipan.”

He also enjoys putting together “cre-ative Power Point presentations with a lot of images… and minimal words, to tell the story visually,” he said.

Jim KlineInterim Dean of

Humanities

Kline returns to changing climates

by Katelyn HilsenbeckThe Advocate

Steven Goldsmith hopes to make MHCC the golden campus and the place to be for students.

Goldsmith took over as new Dean of Science in July after moving from his previous position as a dean at Lin-coln College of New England in Con-necticut.

“The No. 1 priority for me is stu-dent success in an ever-changing world,” he said. He emphasizes a long-term view and said, “I care about taking education through the 21st century.”

Goldsmith has a master’s degree in biology and a doctorate in plant bi-ology. He brings with him academic assessment experi-ence and said, “I think a student should have public and prior knowledge about how to do well.

“I think that communication is absolutely imperative for students,” he said.

As far as his peers, Goldsmith said he is not a man-ager, but a leader. He hopes to encourage his division to develop classes and curriculum that matches instructors’ strengths.

“I can’t tell all the different science factions and divi-

sions how to do things any better than their expertise,” he said. “I don’t come in monu-mentally changing things, in the way that people think,” he said, but instead hopes to “empower” teaching faculty members to “lead in new directions.”

Another goal is to make MHCC a place that people are eager to attend, and not a college that students feel they must come to.

Goldsmith said Mt. Hood’s mission is to provide every opportunity possible for stu-dents: “ ‘You want fisheries or forestry or resource management or safety or cosme-tology program that also has an associates degree associated with it? (Then) this is the place to go.’ ”

Goldsmith moved to the Northwest with his wife of 20 years and their two sons.

In his spare time he enjoys theater, technology, scuba diving, skiing and cooking.

Goldsmith knows MHCC has gone through eight sci-ence deans in eight years. He hopes to make the most of his time here.

“I’m here until this position no longer affords me the opportunity to grown and learn, or the style of lead-ership I have brought has given me the skills and advan-tage to move on – hopefully within the institution,” he said.

Steven GoldsmithDean of Science

by Joshua DillenThe Advocate

There’s a new dean in town, and adult education is what she is throw-ing down.

After two years as MHCC associ-ate dean in Adult Basic Skills, Kelley Keith has been hired as the new head of the division.

Keith has a unique passion for teaching adults that she has eagerly brought to Mt. Hood. She has a fond-ness for the community she serves while helping individuals reach their educational goals.

“I believe in the student popu-lation. I know they can do it and I watch them do it,” Keith said. “Be-tween the students and instruc-tors, it’s all the reason I come to work.”

Eleven years of post-secondary education have yielded Keith bach-elor’s and master’s degrees, along with teaching credentials. She is from the Bay Area in California and

completed her education there.Early in her career, Keith discov-

ered she really enjoyed adult edu-cation. This inspired her to pursue her master’s degree in the field. She taught English as a Second Language for the Oakland, Calif., school dis-

trict. That position led to an epipha-ny about the direction her education and career would take: The children she was teaching came from fami-lies that had recently immigrated to America.

Keith realized these children’s parents weren’t equipped to support the young students with schoolwork.

“I started meeting the parents of my students and I saw the need in that population,” she said. She de-cided to pursue an educational path that would allow her to help these and other adults to educate them-selves.

When not at work, Keith enjoys painting and drawing, hiking, skiing and traveling. She takes community education classes to pursue and im-prove her artistic endeavors when-ever she can.

Reading is another passion, whether it is for work or immersing herself in a travel novel.

“I’m almost always reading something,” she said.

Kelley KeithDean of Adult Basic

Skills

Keith brings her passion for teaching adults

by Melinda BullenDiversity Resource Center Coordinator

Stepping off of the subway car at station Cementario in Santiago, Chile, I prepared myself for my first Dio de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in this new foreign land I now called home. The stairs from the platform led to a packed street filled with flower vendors, can-dle sellers and push carts that offered rosaries and prayer cards for sale. The sweet smell of thousands of flowers barely distracted me from the noise and activity.

A line of cars slowly rolled through the main gate, one that stretched beyond view in either direction. As I passed through the wrought iron-and-stone entrance into the oldest and largest cemetery in Santiago, all of the chaos slowly faded, however. Quietness took over as I walked deeper onto the property, choosing small sidewalks and pathways at whim.

The cemetery was very crowded, but voices were kept low by visiting families who gathered around burial plots. Some carried buckets of soapy water and rags, wiping down headstones. Others would circle a plot, chatting casually with each other while tidying mementos and photos of their loved ones’ resting place. Some simply prayed. This was not the Dio de los Muertos I expected, but instead the honoring of Dio de To-dos Santos, or All Saints Day.

Dio de los Muertos is primarily cel-ebrated in Mexico, with Guatemala, Bo-livia, Brazil and Ecuador holding similar

rituals of food, altar making and social-izing, on or around Nov. 1. On this same day, Dio de Todos Santos is honored in Chile, as I saw, and in many more Latin American countries where the Catho-lic Church has a strong presence. With the colonization of Central and South America and the Christian conversion of indigenous peoples, a melding of na-tive and foreign traditions developed into these holidays.

Although the names and some practices differ throughout the 26 countries of Latin America, the consis-tent element is that this day is one of reverence. Family members and friends are remembered and honored, and even in the farthest, hard-to-reach edges of a massive cemetery in a metropolis like Santiago, the graves are cared for me-ticulously.

I was moved by the thousands of people who took the day to be with those they loved, in both life and death. While I missed out on seeing sugar skulls and ornate alters, I witnessed a more subtle celebration, with the same beautiful depth of tradition and heri-tage.

To learn more about Hispanic/La-tino heritage, join your fellow MHCC students from 11:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday in the Student Union for dance, crafts, food, music and more.

And on Nov. 1, please plan to be a part of Conversations: Grave Matters- Re-flections of Life and Death Across Cultures, with visiting scholar Courtney Camp-bell, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Stu-dent Union lounge.

Guest Column: Day of the DeadA day of reverence during the Halloween season

Visit our website for an update on the HVAC project, to find out how to protect your bike

from theft and more:

www.advocate-online.net

Page 4: The Advocate Vol. 49 Issue 5 – Oct 18, 2013

Living Arts4 Oct. 18, 2013

perfectpumpkins

From director to center stage

‘Rhythm and Hues’ opens Monday

by Rebecca GaulkeThe Advocate

Caitlynn Didlick fully embraces the lead role in Mt. Hood’s Children’s Theatre production of “Alice In Wonderland,” which opens Nov. 4.

“It’s got a lot of energy, and we just keep building the energy more,” she said. “I think it’s something that people aren’t going to be bored by when they’re seeing it.”

Didlick said she connects with her character on a personal level. “There’s times where she (Alice) cries it out, and she’s just crying, but then she shakes it off and she’s fine. And that’s exactly how I am.

“I like her positivity… when things are so dark or so hopeless,” she said.

This is one of Didlick’s first starring roles in a play at the collegiate level.

She made her directing debut at MHCC last spring, with “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.” At first, she wanted a lead role in “Cuckoo’s Nest” and wasn’t interested in directing, but now she is glad she took the position. “It was awesome. It was a fun experience,” she said.

Didlick has put her own spin on the role of Alice. She began by playing her as a very “timid” character, she said. “When people would yell at her, I’d be like ‘Oh, so sorry.’ But then, my director was like, ‘She needs to be more adversarial.’

“It was so much more fun playing her, actually challenging the other characters rather than letting them step all over her,” she said.

She hopes her portrayal of Alice can inspire her young audience. “I feel like it’s important that we aren’t having Alice be that way (timid), because maybe it will make little kids look and be, like, ‘Oh, wow, she can be tough.’ ”

After attending both the University of Oregon and Oregon State University for theater, nursing and fashion programs, Didlick enrolled at MHCC deter-mined to focus on theater.

“I wanted to do something artsy, so I tried fash-ion design, but I was, like, it’s fun, but it’s not feed-ing my soul.”

Now, Didlick hopes to build her resumé with as many roles as she can and head for Los Angeles within a few years to make her dream of becoming an actress a reality. “I want to be in movies, so bad. Even if it’s indie, not even to get ‘big,’ I just want to act on film,” she said.

While the November play is a Children’s Theatre production, Didlick is acting for all ages.

“We don’t play it as if we’re playing to little kids,” she said. “Kids understand a lot more than people give them credit for, so it’s one of those shows that, because we aren’t playing it to little kids, everyone can see it.”

by Greg LeonovThe Advocate

High Fiber DietThe textile artist group “High Fiber Diet” will

display its work at the MHCC Visual Arts Gallery from Monday through Nov. 21.

High Fiber Diet originated about 25 years ago, and is a smaller group that operates within the Co-lumbia Fiber Arts Guild.

Fiber art is an art form that uses materials such as yarn and fabric, and is more focused on the artistic expression and process of creating the art rather than the practical use.

The group’s art has been exhibited in Rose-burg, The Dalles, Coos Bay, Eugene, Corvallis, Portland, and Vancouver and also has been shown in Australia, Europe and South America.

The MHCC show will feature some clothing, fiber vessels, and some weaving, but the main at-traction will be quilts. “Come and take a look at what some quilting ladies are doing that is very, ‘Not your grandmother’s quilts,’” said Gerrie Congdon, whose work will be shown.

The theme for the Mt. Hood show is “Rhythm and Hues.”

Gerrie CongdonCongdon, a longtime textile enthusiast, cre-

ates quilts inspired by elements of nature.She said she realized her passion for quilting

while watching TV. “I saw a show about quilts that were like paintings you could hang on the wall and my mind went spinning and I just thought, ‘Oh, this is what I wanna do,’ ” she said.

Congdon said she enjoys creating “a kind of visual fabric landscape” rather than sending a message. Her work is most influenced by elements from nature. “I sort of then do an abstraction of that,” she said.

Three of her pieces will be showcased at the MHCC exhibit. One is called “Prairie Circles,” in which she used hand-dyed fabrics to create an in-terpretation of an aerial photograph of irrigation equipment on the prairie.

Another work is called “Urban Sunlight,” which has material that was manipulated through a process called “discharging” – where chemicals are used to remove dye, to form patterns and cre-ate some fabrics that look “like windows of build-ings with light reflecting through them,” Congdon said.

The third piece being shown “is just a fun piece that I call ‘Line Dancing.’ It’s just playing with shapes and lines and color, and the lines kind of dance across the piece,” she said.

Congdon is thrilled about the theme of the ex-hibit.

“I could just make a ton of pieces fit with that,” she said. “I often use repeating motifs in my work which [are] the rhythms and I love work-ing with color and value, so basically, the work that’s in that show is the kind of thing that I like to do, which is just have fun with color and design.”

Gerrie Congdon is online at www.gericonde-signs.com.

Jill HoddickAnother artist featured, Jill Hoddick, visually

inspires unusual rhythm patterns with her quilting.Two of her works will be on display, both part

of a series called “Syncopation,” which is an im-provisation technique and a jazz musical term that refers to a flow of rhythm that stresses the unac-cented elements of a piece of music.

Hoddick is doing a visual version of syncopa-tion, crafting work that inspires viewers to “feel the movement, and feel the music,” she said.

She said her work is “non-objective in nature” and is not intended to tell a story. Rather, it is meant to stand out and surprise the viewer.

Hoddick retired last year from the University of Portland, where she taught theater and cus-tom design for 35 years. She considers herself a “youngster” in quilting and got into the art form shortly before retiring, and now makes her living from it. “I wasn’t traditionally a quilter. It’s a new vocabulary for me,” she said.

She said she enjoys being in a community of artists, and its “great camaraderie.

“I am pleased to be accepted at MHCC’s Visual Arts center,” she said.

Jill Hoddick is online at www.jillhoddick.com.

Didlick adds spunk to lead role of Alice in Children’s Theatre Production

Works from High Fiber Diet may be seen online, at

www.hfd-highfiberdiet.blogspot.com

Columbia Fiber Arts Guild is featured at

www.columbiafiberartsguild.org

Photo by Rebecca Gaulke - The Advocate

Caitlynn Didlick, who is the lead in MHCC’s “Alice In Wonderland” production, is a Theatre major and hopes to one day become an actress.

Contributed photos

From left: Jill Hoddick’s “Purple Syncopation,” Kimberly Connelly’s “Midnight Rain Dance,” Mary Arnold’s “Falls Fire,” and Bonnie Bucknam’s “Reflection” will be on display in the Visual Arts gallery, beginning next week and running through Nov. 21.

Page 5: The Advocate Vol. 49 Issue 5 – Oct 18, 2013

Oct. 18, 2013 5Living Arts

perfectpumpkins

scary movie picksCheck out our list of this year’s must-see scary movies, new and oldCarrie

For fans of the original (or not), this movie jumps out as a must-see. It‘s rated R for bloody violence (haven’t you seen the commercials?) and disturbing images, among other things. Since it’s almost Halloween, it’s the perfect time to get a little scared and check out the remake of the classic horror tale about Carrie White – portrayed by Chloe Grace Moretz of “Kickass” fame – a sheltered girl who reaches her breaking point at her senior prom, where her classmates will endure her unfortunate wrath. Opens everywhere today.

Insidious: Chapter 2This movie has already been out for a month, but appears to be a definite top contender if you are looking for a good scare.

Following the success of the first movie, “Insidious: Chapter 2” follows the Lambert family, continuously being haunted by the spirit world. After the first movie, it appears their problems are just beginning. It’s rated PG-13 for intense sequences of terror and violence. If you were scared by the first one, you will probably enjoy this sequel. Now playing everywhere.

Bride of FrankensteinThis weekend, “Bride of Frankenstein” is playing at Portland’s historic nonprofit Hollywood Theatre. Showtimes are at

2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The original movie is a 35mm print, and admission is free to Hollywood Theatre members. The 1935 film is a classic about Dr. Frankenstein creating a new creature to give his Monster a companion. If you are looking for a horrific blast from the past, check it out.

Cosmetology: Send a scary mannequin head to anyone on

campus

Cost: $2 per head, per hour

Here’s what you do:

Visit the Salon

Pick a decorated head

Pick a day/time/room # to send to

Keep it for an hour, they’ll pick it back up!

Pick one Wednes-day, heads will be sent Mon.-Fri. the week of Halloween.

Ends Nov. 1

Halloween traditions:

Haunted Housesby Lindsay FrostThe Advocate

Let’s face it, there’s a lot to love about Halloween: watching scary movies, gobbling up the candy/des-sert, dressing up in costumes, and the family traditions. I could go on with the list forever, but let’s stick with that and talk about haunted houses.

Haunted houses are my favorite part of Halloween for a few reasons, the first being that they are just fun to go to, pure and simple.

To clarify, I’m talking about haunted houses as in the ones that you pay to enter and get scared inside by actors in costumes and creepy spe-cial effects. And while these haunted houses aren’t real, they seem so real in the moment. And, the actors in the house are real and are there for one purpose: to scare you.

This is the one time of the year where you get to live out a scary house situation in real life – not having to rely on the scary movies. You get to walk through on your own two feet and face whatever terrors that house might have for you. And, of course, there’s no pausing or breaks. You just have to keep on going, from the start to the exit of the house.

Then, too, for some of us that might have a loved one or even a crush, a haunted house is the perfect excuse to hold that person’s hand and arm. Going in a group of friends is also really fun, where everyone is able to be scared silly and just have fun.

There’s something about being scared together that brings a group of friends closer together, so grab few of your closest BFFs and go check out a haunted house.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Olson FarmsActivities: apple slingshot, free

horse-drawn hayrides on Oct. 19-20 and 26-27 (starts about 11:30 a.m., weather permitting), and more.

9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, through October.

22255 S.E. Borges Road, Damas-

cusVisit olson-farms.com for more

information.

Bushue’s Family FarmActivities: hayrides, adventure park,

farm animals, pig train rides and more.Pumpkins Cost: 32 cents per poundHayrides Cost: $2 per personOpen 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through

Sunday.

9880 S.E. Revenue Road, Boring

Visit bushuefarming.com for more in-formation.

Liepold Farm Fall FestivalActivities: hayrides, circus-themed corn

maze, children’s pavilion, the Dead End Chal-lenge, hand-dipped caramel apples, caramel corn, café, pony rides and more.

Apple pull, pumpkin pullCost: 3 pulls for $1Hay rideCost: 1 ride for $3Corn maze Cost: $7 adults, $5 kids ages 3 to 10.9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday;

9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday, through Oct. 31.

Open late until 9 p.m. on Oct. 23.All children under 2 years old are free.

14050 S.E. Richey Road, Boring Check out liepoldfarms.com for more infor-

mation.

ASG will host several Halloween-themed activities the week of Hal-loween, offering a chance to win candy and other prizes and to enter a special drawing for an iPod shuffle.

Pumpkin BowlingOct. 28 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Main Mall Grab a mini-pumpkin and strike

down some pins for a prize.

Painting PumpkinsOct. 29 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Main MallDecorate your own mini-pumpkin

with paint pens and other crafty items.

Guess the Weight of a Pump>kin

Oct. 30 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Main Mall Take a shot at guessing the weight

of various shaped and sized pumpkins, for the chance to win an iPod. A draw-ing will be held Nov. 1. Free popcorn will be served.

Halloween DanceOct. 30 7 to 10 p.m. Jazz Café Students are encouraged to dress

up, dance and join other activities, such as guessing what lies in the mys-tery box, for a prize. Food and refresh-ments will be served. Free entry for students, $3 for guests.

by Alexandra JamesThe Advocate

With Halloween right around the corner, those who do not have a costume may be wondering what to dress up as. There are a lot of popular options this year, with people getting inspiration from different movies, TV shows, or pop culture.

The three most popular costumes, according to results from Google Shopping and Market Watch, are Minions from the Despicable Me films, Breaking Bad characters, and foxes, most

likely inspired by the song ‘The Fox’ by Ylvis.

1.) The second Despicable Me film was released this year, with the yellow, goofy Min-ions playing a large part. Halloween stores are carrying a variety of these costumes, in-

cluding ones for women, children, and full body suits for adults.

2.) Breaking Bad, the hit TV series that ended recently, was very popular for the five seasons that it ran. The chemical suits that characters Walter and Jesse wore are also top searches this year.

3.) A viral music video called ‘The Fox’ by the Norwegian band Ylvis has been seen by many people, and its catchy, humorous tune has become well known. Again, different variations include homemade costumes, or ones that are sold for women, children, and full body outfits.

So if you are still wondering what to dress up as this year, you won’t be alone if you decide to go with one of the three most popular Halloween costumes. All of them, or parts for them, can be found at stores like Spirit or Halloween City.

this year's top costumes

asg events

The Pumpkin Patch on Sauvie IslandFree activities: Hayrides noon to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10

a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekends.Giant hay pyramid, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.Big Red Animal Barn, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; 10

a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday-Saturday.

Also offers:

The Corn “Keep Portland Lost Maize”10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday through Thursday10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-SaturdayOct. 27, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.Oct. 30-31, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Cost: $5-7

The “Haunted Maize” 7 to 10 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays Oct. 27, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 30-31, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Last ticket sold at 10 p.m.Cost: $10

Maze combo tickets: $13-15

16511 N.W. Gillihan Road, Portland (Sauvie Island)

Visit www.portlandmaze.com for more information.

What’s better than picking out the perfect pumpkin? Check out our guide to local pumpkin patches for all the pumpkins you can carry, food, activities and fun.

Graphics by Heather Golan- The Advocate

Page 6: The Advocate Vol. 49 Issue 5 – Oct 18, 2013

News6 Oct. 18, 2013

Tuesday, October 22, 2013 Room 296 Smith Memorial Student Union1825 SW Broadway, Portland

Register for one or both sessions at: pdx.edu/education/FutureTeachers or contact [email protected]

PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITYGraduate School of Education

Future Teacher Fair

SESSION 1GENERAL INFORMATION4-5 pm

Presentation at 4pm, followed with breakout sessions of our six teacher training programs.

SESSION 2BILINGUAL EDUCATOR OPPORTUNITIES5-6 pm

Are you bilingual? Learn about increasing demand for bilingual educators in Oregon’s classrooms.

•Hear about PSU’s innovative teacher preparation programs

• Learn how you can start early to prepare for a teaching career

by Cameron MillerThe Advocate

Newly added security cameras and personnel on the MHCC campus should improve personal security and safety awareness, college officials say.

For two years, a priority for the Public Safety office has been to raise the safety presence on campus. The re-cent installation of nine new cameras and hiring of four more workers is a significant step.

Wayne Feagle, MHCC Public Safety manager, said cameras were added at the north and south ends of the cam-pus. “We had a list of places. Some of the things we looked at were crime, risk, and where people don’t feel safe,” he said.

That included hallways and outdoor corridors deemed lacking in security for both students and employees.

The camera locations were chosen by a committee that included ASG, HPE, Risk Management, IT and Facilities Management staff. “We gave a num-ber to each category, and prioritized them,” Feagle said.

Public Safety also has upgraded many parking lot light poles, which now operate 24 hours a day. Most of them stand in the front parking lots, near Northeast Kane/257th Drive.

Feagle said the new employees hold an important role in implementing the new security measures. “They monitor

the cameras when we have people (in the office)… a lot of times we get a call, they bring the camera up and (a con-cerned caller can) feed us information, as the police respond.”

That would be the Gresham Police, with whom Mt. Hood has a “great, on-going” relationship, Feagle said. “If it’s something where there is a known suspect, we can call them and their re-sponse time is less than five minutes,” he said.

Along with the Gresham Police, Mt. Hood’s Public Safety officers (PSOs) have their own rights under Oregon law: “We’re allowed to do citizen’s ar-rests if a crime occurs in our presence … it’s the same thing you (any citizen) can do,” Feagle said.

The most prominent crime on cam-pus remains theft, Feagle said.

“Our biggest crime on campus is when something is left unattended … that’s our majority of crime. (Victims) either left it in their car or left it some-where and it got taken,” he said.

Students are encouraged to never leave belongings unattended, whether in hallways, classrooms, or the park-ing lots. If any college employee or students see suspicious activity, they are urged to call the Public Safety of-fice non-emergency number, 503-491-7310.

For more urgent and/or extreme incidents, call 911 (and then 503-491-7911) to trigger more rapid response.

PresidentContinued from page 1

Aguon relates to community college students

by Missy BurchellThe Advocate

It’s been two decades and count-ing since a pair of Mt. Hood employ-ees decided to bring Christmas joy into the lives of local families by sponsor-ing them through the MHCC campus through the program, “Something Wonderful.”

Karen McNeal, an instructional ad-ministrative assistant, and Rich Duval, youth workforce manager, have aided 828 families since they founded the program in 1994.

“There have been so many families that Something Wonderful was able to help get over the holiday hump, or blues,” said Duval.

“The families that stick with me are the ones who get back on their feet and return the favor by giving back to oth-ers in need,” he said. “They know what it’s like to have nothing for their chil-dren for Christmas.”

Volunteers sponsor an eligible family – one with an MHCC student or a child enrolled in Head Start – and can provide a happier holiday with donated food, clothes and gift items.

The program’s founders saw a need in the lives of students trying to start a career path and to help their family be-come financially stable.

This year’s goal is to sponsor 55 families with food, household items (blankets, towels, cleaning supplies, kitchen items, etc.), personal grooming items, warm clothes, children’s toys and more.

Individuals who wish to contribute but can’t support a family on their own may join an MHCC group that already is a sponsor.

“There are multiple departments who join in each year to sponsor mul-tiple families,” Duval said.

The holiday giving program contin-ues to generate great interest, Duval said.

“Each year when we send out the information about Something Wonder-ful, the staff and student clubs at MHCC are always excited about signing up,” he said.

For more information and to apply, contact McNeal at [email protected] or Duval at [email protected] to apply.

Applications are due at 5 p.m. on Nov. 1.

I understand what it’s like to choose between textbooks and a quality meal.

Laura AguonASG President

Public Safety raises presence on campus

“Wonderful” programspreads holiday joy

Aguon said she and ASG Vice Presi-dent Eduardo Ortiz, as a pair, embody the epitome of a community college student. The running mates triumphed as write-in candidates last spring after a spirited ASG campaign.

Ortiz is a gay Latino born to Mexican immigrants, which he said has given him a different perspective on student events and has ultimately benefited him.

Aguon said her experiences the past two years have more closely bonded her to MHCC students on campus, “whole heartedly, because I understand what they’re going through. I understand what it’s like to choose between text-books and a quality meal.”

As ASG president, Aguon wants to

focus on making MHCC more inclusive, reaching out especially to the people who have “fallen through the gaps,” she said.

She hopes that students who are parents or attend night classes can en-joy such events as the Welcome Back Week marshmallow roast and similar festivities in the future.

ASG should ensure there is a cam-pus resource focused on “more than just the standard norm that we see,” she said.

An example would be including more than just ethnic diversity in the new Diversity Resource Center in the Student Union: Different walks of life should all have a place in the center, she said.

Aguon said the platform on which she ran for president was crafted by listening to concerns voiced dur-ing the previous year. “I took a lot of the constructive criticism that came out of last year and put it in my platform to make sure we were touching on those bases,” she said.

Pressing issues include improved public safety, state and national advo-cacy and a focus on intramural sports.

Already in the works is a monthly night for students to gather and play a sport alongside ASG officers.

Aguon is particularly excited for a potential soccer game. “I would love to get out there and, you know, rub elbows with some students,” perhaps during winter term once the rain subsides, she said.

On the serious side, motherhood has helped turn Aguon’s career outlook more toward to politics, or perhaps,

emergency preparedness. “I love the stress of emergencies

and what they bring on, and having to think on your feet,” she said.

Whether it be near or far, Aguon she said will transfer to whichever four-year university offers the best scholar-ship and feels blessed to be able to do so.

She hopes eventually to run for public office and be able “to show my daughter and young girls that we are far more than what our society puts on us,” she said. “We can face (any) adversity and we can be successful.”

And, if her two top career choices don’t work out? She could always go and “sell surf boards in Costa Rica,” she said, laughing.

by Katelyn HilsenbeckThe Advocate

The Hispanic and Latino Heri-tage Celebration will enliven the Stu-dent Union from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday.

There will be cultural dances per-formed by SEED (Scholarship for Ed-ucation and Economic Development) students at MHCC with Caribbean ties or connections with indigenous groups such as the Mayans and Az-tecs.

Diana Ramirez, event coordina-

tor and SAB multicultural programs coordinator, said the event is focused on dance, because when she thinks of Hispanic heritage, dance comes first.

Those who attend will have the chance to learn several styles of dance, such as salsa, and to compete for audience votes in order to win a prize.

Students also may pin where they are from (their heritage) on a map when they enter the event.

Refreshments will be offered, in-cluding typical Hispanic food.

“I just want students to learn something,” Ramirez said.

A station will be set up for trivia and tables to represent SEED stu-dents’ home countries with crafts and information. The Latino-based Me-CHA and the new Diversity Resource Center also will have tables.

Ramirez encourages people of all cultural backgrounds to attend, to in-crease their knowledge of other cul-tures, as well as her own.

This event is free for students with valid student I.D. and staff, and

is $3 for guests.

Heritage celebration, food, dancing, games

Page 7: The Advocate Vol. 49 Issue 5 – Oct 18, 2013

Oct. 18, 2013 7Sports

SCSport entral

Peterson earns empathy, scrutinyBy Q QuartermanThe Advocate

Adrian Peterson, heralded NFL running back with the Minnesota Vikings, gained na-tional attention last week – and not by break-ing free for big yards.

Peterson’s two-year-old son was appar-ently beaten and killed by his mother’s boy-friend, Joseph Patterson, who previously was hit with domestic assault and abuse charges.

The media report that Peterson was the boy’s biological father, but never had an active role in the child’s life. The son, Tyrese Robert Doohen, was pronounced dead on Oct. 11. Pe-terson’s visit to the hospital was reportedly their first meeting.

Now, it’s truly sad for the wrongful death of a child, a senseless crime. Is Adrian Peter-son at all responsible? Did he have the means

to help create a better life for the boy? Is the mom guilty and at fault, for leaving a boyfriend in charge of an infant?

Or is the issue a larger one? Do you, as a fan, hold professional athletes

accountable for not taking an active role in their kids’ lives? There have been other foot-ball and basketball players gracing their sport with grace and poise, but taking a play or two off when it comes to being an active parent.

Ray Lewis, two-time NFL champion and a man I supported in his last season with the Baltimore Ravens in 2012, is reported to have six kids, by an unknown number of mothers.

Shawn Kemp, former star with the NBA’s Seattle Supersonics, reportedly has seven chil-dren by six different women. Retired heavy-weight boxer Evander Holyfield takes the cake with a brood of 11 children, by an unknown number of mothers.

In some cultures, it is a practice to have more than one family, as long as you provide for that family and lead a lifestyle similar to

those of the families.That is not what happens with highly paid

athletes. The real story is not something we are privileged to most times, due to secrecy and publicity concerns and editing for television. Just like in the Peterson case, uncomfortable facts do not come out until a tragedy occurs.

The death of this young child is not a di-rect result of anything Peterson did. As far as we know, the mother may not have wanted his involvement, or a relationship.

Any father will feel the sadness of a loss of child. However, when you never knew your child, how many of the tears shed are heart-felt?

The career of a professional athlete af-fords many men the ability to hand pick a date, whenever they want.

But, sports, like all things, do not substi-tute for fulfilling the duty of being a father.

Cross country men and women show gritby Edgard ValenciaThe Advocate

An inspired and motivated MHCC cross country team pushed hard and finished third in both the women’s and men’s events at the Mike Hodges Invitational held last Sat-urday in Oregon City.

After a difficult few weeks in which many of the athletes battled both sickness and injuries, the Saints minimized their mistakes to perform well at Clackamas Community College, their coach said.

“The most significant improvement at this meet from previous competitions was the mental attitude,” said Matt Hart, MHCC head coach.

The runners were “able to minimize the doubts and wor-ries of competing,” he said.

Leading the men’s team once more over 8,000 meters was freshman Brandon Raleigh, who finished first for the team and placed sixth overall with a time of 26:29. That was nine seconds off his fastest time of the year, registered dur-ing the Charles Bowles Invitational one week earlier.

Another runner showing steady improvement is fresh-

man Taylor Hybl, who placed 14th overall with a time of 27:32, one of his best times yet.

The women’s race was scheduled to be 5,000 meters but ended up much shorter, Hart said. “The leading women took a wrong turn and shortened the course to 4,340 meters,” he said. “The placement was relative as everyone ended up following.”

More errors came at the finish line, where the order for women in 14th place and higher was scrambled, Hart said. “With input from the coaches and participants, the results ended up getting cleared up,” he said.

Separate from that mess, two Mt. Hood freshmen placed in the top ten.

Emily Trosino finished third with a time of 17:09, and her teammate Haley McDonald finished sixth at 17:18, helping the women earn third place.

Despite the glitches, both MHCC teams got a feel for the course, which should be a little bit of advantage as the South-ern Region Championships will be hosted by Clackamas Oct. 26 on the same course.

First will come the Lewis & Clark Invitational outside Es-tacada, on Saturday, where both teams hope to build on their momentum.

LA Dodgers AT St.Louis Cardinals Today, 5:30 p.m., TBS Network

Cardinals lead series 3-2

Detroit Tigers AT Boston Red SoxSaturday, 1:30 p.m., FOX Network

ALCS Tied through game 4*Game 5 played after production deadline

Top: Freshmen Emily Trosino and Haley Mc-Donald battle for leading positon during the Mike Hodges Invite on Oct. 12. Bottom: Fresh-man Josh Franscisco looks to finish strong during the Mike Hodges Invite.

The 2013 MLB World Series begins Wednesday and the AL champion will have home-field advantage due to winning the MLB All-Star Game back in July.

Game 1, Wednesday, time TBD, Fox Network

Web Photo

Real Salt Lake AT Portland TimbersSaturday, 7:30 p.m., Roots Network

This will be the Timbers’ last home game of the regular season. If the Timbers draw or win against Real Salt Lake, Portland clinches a playoff spot.

Upcoming Meet Tomorrow @ 11 a.m. Lewis & Clark Invitational, McIver Park, Estacada

Photos courtesy of Jeff Hinds

Page 8: The Advocate Vol. 49 Issue 5 – Oct 18, 2013

Sports8 Oct. 18, 2013

Oregon State University has spent 145 years building a reputation for excellence. Not only do we age well, but we also improve our methods every year to enhance our students’ lives. And with Oregon State Ecampus, you can study online and work toward your OSU degree while enrolled in community college.

Winter term starts Jan. 6, so apply today.

ecampus.oregonstate.edu/cc14 | 800-667-1465

Saints sweep in victory over Cougarsby Cameron MillerThe Advocate

Mt. Hood’s volleyball squad stretched its win streak to six match-es behind balanced, disciplined play, throttling Clackamas Community Col-lege for a second time this season (25-21, 25-23, 25-19) on Oct. 11.

With the convincing win, the Saints remain unbeaten in league play, and improved to 18-6 overall.

Shawna Smith tied the team’s sea-son high for kills in the Friday matchup with 12, and led the team in defensive digs with 23.

She showed no signs of slowing down even with a wrap on her left hand due to an earlier injury.

“It was my first game with this (wrap) and I was nervous, but I had a competitive attitude,” she said. She said she worried about not being able to play at her normal high level, but with the three-game sweep over the Cou-gars, the entire team rose to the chal-lenge.

“We showed up, everyone was competitive and did their job,” Smith said. The Saints also have “cleaned up” their play lately, she said. “We didn’t let a lot of balls drop.”

Smith is among the core play-ers who are playing well this season. Sophomore hitters Lihau Perreira and Keely Siegel have led the team on the

court, with consistent output in kills. The freshmen setters have stepped into their role as well, Smith said.

“Rachel (Woodcock) and Shea (Lindsey) have really learned a lot from (head coach) Chelsie Speer – she was also a setter,” Smith said.

Devin Saucy also added seven kills to the Saints’ offensive output. “She stepped it up,” Smith said. “When she gets started you can’t stop her.”

While MHCC has won six straight matches, Smith believes that some op-ponents still doubt their team.

“Some people think that we can’t win because we’re not the biggest team (physically),” she said. “We’re a humble team. Our saying is ‘attitude and effort.’ You can always do bet-

ter, and we can outwork them (oppo-nents).”

Mt. Hood heads into the Green Riv-

er Crossover Tournament this weekend, outside of Seattle, on a roll.

“I think it will test us both mentally and physically,” said Smith, present-ing a tougher challenge precisely be-cause of the win streak. “We have a bigger target on our back. But, it also makes us hungrier for wins, competi-tion, and to improve.”

The Saints will face Everett (3-10 overall), Lower Columbia (6-16), and Spokane (23-9) today in pool play. Other schools in the pool play round are Green River (10-10), Umpqua (4-20), Big Bend (9-15), and Shoreline (13-10).

Winning a tournament is always a tough challenge. Smith said the Saints must stay focused and disciplined while minimizing errors. She’ll try to

do her part. “I’m a really competitive person, I don’t often call myself a lead-er, but I do expect to get the best out of everybody,” she said.

With just one-third of the season remaining before the NWAACC Cham-pionship Tournament, the Saints are still vulnerable to playoff elimina-tion, and every match will count. They will look for a home-court advantage, playing four of the last six matches at MHCC.

Next week Mt. Hood returns home, to host Linn-Benton on Wednesday. This will be the first “Dig Pink” home match of the season, an effort to sup-port breast cancer awareness.

MHCC last played Linn-Benton on Oct. 4 and swept the Roadrunners in three games.

I’m a really competitive person. I don’t often call myself a leader but I do expect to get the best out of everybody.

- Shawna Smith

Upcoming Schedule

Dorian Harris Classic Tournament

Fri-Sat, Oct. 25-26Gresham, OR

Staff photo

Green River Crossover Tournament

Friday-SaturdayAuburn, WA

MHCC vs Linn-Benton

Wednesday, 6 p.m.

Gresham, OR

Top right: Sophomore Keely Siegel goes up for a spike in last Friday’s win over Clackamas Community College. Above: Head coach Chelsie Speer and her team during a team huddle in the same match. Below: 2012 Dorian Harris Classic.

Photos by Cameron Miller - The Advocate

Next weekend, Mt. Hood Community College will host the annual Dorian Harris Classic Tournament. The team’s players and coaches dress in costume for the match. This year’s theme is “Jazzercise”.