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@themontage Voume 48 Issue 7 December 6, 2012www.meramecmontage.com fb.me/meramecmontage

White tablecloths, flower arrangements, mood lighting and an in-house pianist transformed the school cafeteria into a banquet hall recognizing four emerging scholars for their achievements at Meramec at the First Annual Emerging Scholars banquet on Nov. 27. The Emerging Scholars is a new program for

Meramec, but has been successful at sister campus STLCC-Florissant Valley for the last 17 years.

“The Emerging Scholars Program has had a record of success at Florissant Valley and is something we looked into in the past but never improvised,” Wasson said. “It provides an opportunity for students

in developmental education to see that they are challenged but also a great opportunity and it’s great to have models who have been in the same place you have been and succeeded.”

The program recognizes students who have completed coursework in two or more

developmental areas including English, math and/or reading; successfully completed 24 or more credit hours in college-level coursework; achieved a 3.5 or higher grade-point average; and, participated in campus and community activities.

The then Acting Dean Angela Grupas, Ph.D., was credited by

Re-defining student successKELLY GLUECK OPINIONS EDITOR

Emerging scholars recognized at Meramec

THE STUDENT VOICE OF ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE - MERAMEC

Story continued on page 3

A T M E R A M E C

The Music Department at Meramec offers courses and ensembles for all students. You may take classes for general education credit or pursue the Associate of Arts in Music

degree to prepare for transfer into a Bachelor of Music or Music Education program.

** SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE **

COURSES MUS 101,102,201,202 Music Theory I,II,III,IV MUS 103 Basic Music MUS 113 The History of Jazz MUS 114 The Enjoyment of Music MUS 115,116 Class Voice I,II MUS 121,122,221,222 Class Piano I,II,III,IV MUS 128 Survey of Rock Music MUS 130 Beginning Guitar MUS 138,139,216 Jazz Improvisation I,II,III MUS 141,142,241,242 Applied Music (Lessons) I,II,III,IV MUS 143 Introduction to Desktop Publishing MUS 211,212 Music History I,II

Interested in performing in an ensemble? All Meramec students may participate. No audition is required!

ENSEMBLES Music 132 – Orchestra Music 133 – Jazz Lab Band Music 134 – Symphonic Band Music 135 – Concert Choir, Chamber Singers

and Voices of Magic jazz choir

All ensembles hold a seat/part assignment hearing during the first rehearsal. Members of the Concert Choir may audition for the Chamber Singers and/or the Voices of Magic jazz choir.

For more information, contact the Meramec Music Department

Gary Gackstatter, Director of Instrumental Music, ggackstatter@stlcc.edu, (314) 984-7636 Dr. Jerry Myers, Director of Choral Activities & Music Theory, gmyers34@stlcc.edu, (314) 984-7638

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NEWSDecember 6, 2012

Wasson and the committee responsible for the banquet as being instrumental in the initiation of the Emerging Scholars Program at Meramec.

“This is an honor for students, not only to get out of the developmental education limbo and excel in credit courses to a point of a 3.5 grade point average which makes them equivalent to PTK or other academic honors,” Grupas said. “It’s quite an achievement for the students and we thought they should be recognized.”

Grupas said to qualify, a student needs 24 credit hours and for an associate degree, a student needs 60 credit hours, so this is an award where, technically, a student can be an emerging scholar for more than one year if they meet the

criteria again. “Getting your degree or transferring

is nice, but I think we need to honor students along the way. For some, it’s a very long journey,” said Grupas. “So if there are celebrations along the way, I think that’s fantastic. At Flo Valley they’ve had students for three years who have received those honors because they continued to excel and keep their GPA up and that’s been a motivator for students looking to keep up with scholarships.”

At the Banquet, students Ana Sholla, Amanda Potts, Matt Naumann and Marsha Wendels were honored by faculty and peers, dined and awarded a bookstore gift card and membership in Phi Theta Kappa

(PTK), the international honor society for community colleges. One student, Potts was awarded a scholarship for her achievements on and off campus. Potts was acknowledged for her academic success as a member of PTK, her leadership by serving as secretary in TRIO, and her volunteer work for Nurses for Newborns and the Clifton Heights Neighborhood Association where she is busy working on landscape projects for neighborhood parks.

After a gap in higher education, Potts’ credits her recent academic success to campus resources such as academic labs, supplemental instruction and her mentor, adjunct reading instructor Kathy Daugherty, who taught reading courses at all levels

and tutors students in the Academic Center as well as the TRIO lab.

“Students struggling should utilize the labs early in the semester. I make a habit to go into the labs the first or second week of the semester so that I can keep up with my studies,” Potts said.

Daugherty said Meramec offers a variety of resources for students and those resources, such as the Writing Lab, the Math Lab, the TRIO lab for TRIO students and supplemental instruction, can make the difference for students. Potts is just one example.

“Here at Meramec we want our students to achieve their dreams and that’s why we’re here to expand minds and change lives,” Daughtery said.

Current manager of the Access Office at STLCC-Meramec, Linda Nissenbaum was recently given the Senior Service Award, one of four awards given at each STLCC campus. The Senior Service Award is an award given to an employee who has worked for the college for over 20 years. This year Nissenbaum was the first employee who was not a faculty member to win. This year marks the 24th year that Nissenbaum has worked for the Access Office.

Nissenbaum graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a bachelor’s degree in education and from Webster University with a master’s degree in teaching. The first job she landed after graduating was in the Special School District in Hazelwood, Mo.

“I love helping students be who they’re meant to be,” said Nissenbaum. “and to not let disabilities stop them.”

After working in the Special School District, she worked part-time as an educational assistant at Meramec for five years before transferring to the Access Office. Over the years, Nissenbaum has become a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach and a Professional Certified Coach.

“Keeping all these skills you have to yourself doesn’t help anybody, does it?”

Nissenbaum said when asked about why she does presentations.

She has done presentations for New Faculty Orientation, SSD College Nights, Regional AHEAD Conferences and National AHEAD Conferences. She is also on Meramec’s Behavioral Intervention Team and just finished her training to be a Sexual Harassment Investigator last week. This February, she will also be speaking at a Management Institute.

When Nissenbaum found out she won the award, the only word she could think of was honored.

“It’s always an honor to be selected,” Nissenbaum said. “because you want to make a difference every day.”

As for future plans, Nissenbaum will continue to be a consultant for Maryville University, Washington University and Saint Louis University. She is currently speaking on behalf of the CRPD Treaty.

“For fellow students who go overseas, this treaty will make sure that they have proper rights when they arrive there,” Nissenbaum said.

The treaty needs to be ratified by the Senate.

For now, she is “always growing and always learning,” and is “always looking for new skills.”

Nissenbaum awarded ‘Senior Service’2012 marks first year that award is given to non-faculty memberASHLEY HIGGINBOTHAM NEWS EDITOR

Joe Schneiderʼs Winter Forecast

This has been a very tricky future weather forecast to put together. El Nino was forecasted to develop through the fall. This has not happened and still

appears to be very weak at best At this time, I donʼt think El Nino will play a large part in this upcoming

winter. We have already had the Greenland Block in place a few times throughout the fall. These were

days when we had some really cold temperatures. I think the idea of the Greenland Block might be a key

to our winter weather this year.

I see all 3 months (December-February) being near to below normal temperature wise with the coldest

periods possible being from a mid-December to mid-January and most of the month of February. Snowfall should be near to maybe a bit above

normal. I think we will see around 23 inches of snow with the Alberta Clippers and a few major southwest

storms.

Overall, a very average winter.

We will see how this plays out over the next few months!!!

I expect a lot northwest flow this winter due to this blocking which is usually dry and cold. This is the Alberta Clipper flow which could bring us some

snow. I do see more arctic instrusions this year with the northwest flow in place. There will also be some southwest storms which will give us our best chances

for major snow and or ice.

Meramec hosts banquet for ‘emerging scholars’

GRAPHIC BY: JAKE HUNN

continued from page 1

OPINIONS4December 6, 2012

hey, is something

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A T IME FOR ALL M A T T E R S

ObamaCareJOE MAKOTO STAFF WRITER

Republicans tend to see it as an expensive new entitlement program giving health care away to everyone, a gift to voters in the language of the post-election Mitt Romney.

Democrats understand it as legislation

that brings our healthcare system closer to those of other industrialized nations, and a strong move towards universal health care coverage.

These views have merit, but seem to have missed a major component of ObamaCare.

My reading of ObamaCare is as an obligation to buy health insurance from the oligopolistic health care insurance industry, which is now guaranteed both a captive, subsidized audience and a specified rate of profit. A comfortable position to be in for any industry.

This growth of government, called the individual mandate, has made the health insurance companies winners. As evidence of just how much of a winner they were consider that in this post-Citizens United world, any losers would have spent a considerable amount of money on advertisements in this latest election cycle.

This industry, which lobbied so heavily against HillaryCare with their highly effective Harry and Louise adverts in 1993, kept their mouths shut in the 2012 election.

Even more than the 47 percent, this industry knows well who is going to butter their bread for decades. And they kept

their mouths shut.This silence speaks volumes about

who ObamaCare benefits. In the long run it may lead to some form of universal coverage, or it may become an expensive new entitlement program. But for now, it is a huge giveaway to an increasingly cartelized insurance industry.

With the long holiday season upon us and the inevitable pounds of holiday joy stuck to our back sides, the idea of wellness and fitness can take on a whole new meaning. Instead of skipping a cookie, we can now convince ourselves to stop at four. Lifting a fork loaded with yummies from the plate to the mouth will be considered weight training, and taking out the trash will temporarily count as cardio. But it really does not have to be that bad. The zombie apocalypse is not here yet, so do not turn into one by mindlessly devouring everything in sight. Here are a few tips that might just do the trick. First, it is not necessary to eat the things you do not like simply to spare mom’s feelings. She has been through worse. Guaranteed. Second, try to work out right before those holiday meals. This will increase metabolism, and the following meal will serve to replenish the diminished nutrients supply. This is probably as good a time as any to finally commit to that New Year’s resolution, before the year actually runs out. Third, go for a walk after the meal. Breathe some fresh air, take in the scenery, and reassess your priorities; and by all means, use that as an excuse to get away from that uncle who has been retelling the same lame story for the last 10 years. This is the perfect time to exercise that will power. Do it. Do it even if it is a difficult challenge. And do not forget to enjoy it.

REALITY

B ITES

VICTORIA BARMAK STAFF WRITER

H o l i d a y C r a v i n g s

I am not one to typically get involved. I am usually the one who does what he’s told, who sits, listens and obeys. But I have come to realize that I am no longer a child. I know my rights and I know what I want in my life. A good education is on the top of my list and from it I will build the foundation for the rest of my life which is the same goal, I am sure, of many of my fellow STLCC students.

Meramec’s campus is where my life begins anew. However, just attending this school for these past two years I have seen some of the deterioration many students have become aware of. I would like to address the class cuts, one of Meramec’s most recent issues. This has been addressed many times before but I would like to explain my discoveries resulting from interviews and online research.

Because of class cuts and lower student enrollment, there has definitely been a decrease in the funds for our education but as I dug deeper, I found that is not the only reason why the school’s funds are lacking. I encourage anyone who is interested in learning about these facts to check out the “You paid for it” segments by Fox 2 News. You can find them simply on http://youtube.com and each segment does not take more than a couple minutes. These videos address some of the recent purchases of STLCC officials.

In May 2011 the administration bought a beautiful building which included an indoor waterfall, a pond, frosted glass doors and flat screen televisions. The building bought is supposed to be a corporate training center, but is yet to be filled with students. Purchasing the building was around $5.5 million (close to the

amount of money they lost this year, which was around 6 million, the reason for cutting many classes). But when one combines that with the renovations they added to the school, its final cost was $7.1 million dollars.

Now why did they air this on television to the public? It was so we could be aware of where our taxpayer money is going.

Another instance is when STLCC decided to spruce up Meramec’s gym with new lighting. Then they proceeded to cut the basketball team to save money. Now we have a nice gym for our basketball players that no longer exist.

One more example from STLCC’s faulty spending is when the board of trustees spent $116,000 to hold two leadership conferences at Innsbrook Resort when they could have held them on one of the four campuses without cost. When Vice Chairman Melissa Hattman was asked about the best interest of the taxpayers she became silent.

I was shocked and confused about how I had never heard of this spending before. Now this reader knows as well, but what can we do about our classes being cancelled when the school prefers to buy pretty buildings, renovations and hold meetings that are not in the student’s or community’s best interest?

There are three different steps we can follow to begin making a change to this. That first step, and the easiest thing for a student to do, would be to research and then spread awareness. After researching these things, one would see there is a need for change. By letting their thoughts be known for STLCC’s administrative actions the concerned students can spread awareness. Have

a reason to stand and give others the same reason. Tell your friends and family in the community.

A second step for change is to let your voice be heard instead of turning to teachers (who ultimately cannot do anything about the problems) and complaining about the extra expenses the school has spent. It is important to remember that they are just as upset as you are about the class cuts. A concerned taxpayer or student needs to voice their concerns to the top, as they say, the more the merrier. George Wasson, president of the Meramec Campus, is where you need to go. Let your voice be heard.

The third step to be sure we are heard: We need some type of program where the students can speak. We could consider creating a student government where the students can know of the expenses that could take place and place a vote. Members from each club could participate similar to SGC, but for the school’s policies, not just activities. That way the school can have a balance of business and what the students want.

Community Colleges are not supposed to be all business. They are made for the student to gain a valuable education and without them the school is nothing, so why not have a say in it?

As students, we have not only a right but also a responsibility to keep this a school that our friends, family or children will be able to appreciate the goodness in Meramec. My parents always taught me when I visit someone’s home to leave it in better condition than when I first arrived. This is my current home with my fellow classmates. Let us not leave it in ruins for the incoming students and teachers.

You paid for it: A call for student responsiblity

BLAKE BRUST GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

OPINIONSDecember 6, 2012

LILLY HUXHOLD GRAPHICS EDITOR

INTRO- CEPTION

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary. Not to be confused with sympathy, feelings of pity and sorrow for someone else’s misfortune; empathy goes deeper than just

having remorse for another’s situation. As stated by Carl Rogers, an influential American Psychologist, empathy is, “To perceive the internal frame of reference of another with accuracy and with the emotional components and meanings which pertain thereto as if one were the person.” For example, a self-made wealthy citizen passes a homeless man or woman on the street; instead of pitying the person, they understand their situation and feel a wide range of emotion that evolve compassion as they can relate and emote to the person on the street. In today’s society there is a great lack of empathy. People are more isolated as they use social media and texting as their primary form of communication, making them less likely to be wholly engaged in each of their relationships. Empathy is brought on by interaction with diverse situations, and an open-minded nature

when it comes to new and different circumstances. This isolation prevents the cultivation of these skills. A prime example of the deteriorating use of empathy was the 2012 presidential election. While there were some great points and discussions made, there was also ignorance and hate; two things that would have been prevented by empathetic reactions. Some social media posts were not only racist, but inaccurate and down right inappropriate. They did not take the time to understand their opponent’s perspective and try to understand why they believed their opinion was the right direction. We live in a country built off of diversity with millions of different perspectives and highly conflicting opinions. We must be empathetic to our fellow citizens if we plan on being a united nation with a multi-cultural heritage.

While some may not be of a minority race, a specific religion or a struggling political cause, people should take the time to understand his or her neighbor because his or her opinion matters just as much as their personal opinion. Perspectives are a hard thing to change, but if people can at least try to see through another’s eyes they may understand why getting citizenship papers checked at each corner is offensive, or a law against your religion is upsetting. There are 6,973,738,433 people on earth, and probably only one other person that will agree to everything another person agrees with. Learn to walk in another’s shoes; it will teach individuals to speak with facts and not ignorance, to listen and not interject and above all, to be compassionate towards each other. Hate is an easy wagon with a squeaky wheel. Love is a long walk but with great company.

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Since the election, an electronic petition has tallied approximately 120,000 signatures in favor of Texas seceding from the United States. That is nearly five times the amount of signatures needed for a White House response. The White House has yet to issue a response. I guess this is why you do not mess with Texas.

ILLUSTRATION BY: CORY MONTERO

According to the Chinese horoscope, 2013 will be nothing like 2012, which was characterized by many natural disasters and wars. The Year of the Snake is predicted to be wealthy and peaceful. There will be many chances for all people to succeed in their professional lives but only those that are smart and hard-working will be prosperous. Also, 2013 is predicted to be healthy

and stable. But just as the snake moves quickly, this year will pass in no time and 2014, the year of horse, will be here all too soon with new excitements.

INDEPTH6 INDEPTHDecember 6, 2012 December 6, 2012

Buddha invited all the animals to participate in a race to determine who would appear on the Chinese Zodiac Calendar. The first 12 animals to cross

the river would win a coveted position on the calendar according to the order in which they finished the race. The 12 animals seen on the Zodiac Calendar today

are the the ones who won in the following order: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog and boar.

1924,1936,1948,1960,1972,1984,1996,2008,2020

1929,1941,1953,1965,1977,1989,2001,2013,2025

1928,1940,1952,1964,1976,1988,2000, 2012,2024

1925,1937,1949,1961,1973,1985,1997,2009,2021

1927,1939,1951,1963,1975, 1987,1999, 2011, 2023

According to legend,

2013 Chinese horoscope

RAT

SNAKE

TIGER

DRAGON

OX

RABBIT

The rat is a curious animal, full of wit and imagination. Perceptive and quick to observe. The rat is good at solving problems and offers good advice, but does not give much away about his own personal situation. Seek the dragon and monkey, avoid horse and rabbit.

The snake is charming with a knack of persuading people to their way of thinking. The snake craves order and tranquillity and is easily stressed by disarray both in the home and workplace. Seek the rooster and ox, avoid monkey and pig.

The tiger has a love of competition and brims with confidence and intelligence. The tiger will always rise to a challenge and has no fear of unpredictable situations, however her strong character can sometimes be seen as selfish or stubborn. Seek the dog or horse, avoid sheep or ox.

The dragon is very popular among peers, but enjoys solitude more than the limelight. Life is never boring with a dragon person around, but patience is required to weather the harsh words of her fiery temper. Seek the monkey and rat, avoid ox and sheep.

The ox is methodical and loves routine. Thanks to being persistant, the ox has the potential to excel in his chosen career, however his personality can lead to workaholism. He must learn to balance work and play. Seek the rat and rooster, avoid tiger and horse.

The rabbit values family and friends and enjoys socializing with others. The rabbit hates confrontation and will hold her tongue rather than complain. Her calm nature sometimes allows others to take advantage of them. Seek the pig and dog, avoid the rat and rooster.

energetic charmingcunning

gracefulintelligentsly

fearlessconfidentprotective

attractivecharismaticoutgoing

dependableloyalpatient

sociablefriendlyloving

1926,1938,1950,1962,1974,1986,1998,2010,2022

1932,1944,1956,1968,1980,1992,2004,2016, 2028

1935,1947, 1959,1971,1983,1995,2007,2019,2031

1931,1943,1955,1967,1979,1991,2003, 2015, 2027

1934,1946,1958,1970,1982,1994,2006,2018,2030

1930,1942,1954,1966,1978,1990,2002,2014, 2026

1933,1945,1957,1969,1981,1993,2005,2017,2029

MONKEY BOARRAM DOGHORSE ROOSTER

The monkey is energetic and is always up for something new and fun. He is full of mischief, love tricks and pranks, which can wear on the patience of calmer personalities. Seek the dragon and rat, avoid snake and horse.

The boar prefer life to be as simple and trouble-free as possible and advocates giving in to temptation whenever possible. Boars love company and hate to be alone. Seek the rabbit and sheep, avoid monkey and snake.

The ram is resourceful and very comfortable on his own. The ram prefers to blend into the background where he will not be bothered by stronger personalities. They keep to themselves which can sometimes be seen as caginess. Seek the pig and rabbit, avoid rat and ox.

The dog tends to care more about other people’s happiness more than her own, and never seeks to push themself forward at the expense of others. Her interest in other people’s business is sometimes seen as nosiness. Seek the tiger and horse, avoid rooster and dragons

The horse is attracted to careers where she can interact and shine. They are strong-willed, energetic and love to be the center of attention. Life with a horse is full of laughter and happiness. Seek the dog and tiger, avoid rat and monkey.

The rooster is very confident and highly driven, always ready to voice their opinion. Although his pride can be annoying his ability to organize himself and others makes them suitable for positions of power. Seek the ox and snake, avoid sheep and rabbit.

agilesharp-wittedplayful

laid-backfriendlycourteous

caringthoughtfulcalm

loyallovinganalytical

brightpopularoptimistic

showypridefularrogant

TOMI STOREY INDEPTH EDI-

*according to http://chinesezodiac.com and http://char4u.com

ART&LIFE8December 6, 2012

Parkour is the graceful and sometimes dangerous sport of moving one’s body through space, around buildings and over obstacles efficiently and safely has become increasingly popular over the decades. Students at STLCC–Meramec are no exception to this worldwide trend.

Mike Wison, Meramec student, attributes the recent rise in popularity of parkour, and the related sport of freerunning, to YouTube. The athletes of parkour, traceur for men and traceuse for women, can be seen doing phenomenal stunts like climbing walls, jumping off tall buildings and leaping gaps between rooftops.

Wilson said parkour can be dangerous, but responsibility for safety rests with the individual, “People see these guys doing crazy stunts on YouTube and think ‘these guys are going to kill themselves,’ I believe that’s largely false, because with parkour and free running you control all the variables...if I get injured, I made a choice I wasn’t ready for,” Wilson said.

Wilson credits Parkour’s artistic and performance components, which were present in his life before finding parkour. “I’ve always been an artist and a performer, I do magic, I do music, I do standup comedy. All of my talents revolve around performing, or art. Going into parkour and free running, with the art of motion, of course I was drawn to it,” Wilson said.

After participating, Wilson found that various types of athletic people are drawn to the sport. “You’ve got people who really weren’t interested in the arts, who were outside playing basketball and football, and to them it was another sport that they could learn to master. [Parkour] is really cool at bringing people together who otherwise wouldn’t have met,” Wilson said.

Devon Elsner, Meramec student, said that since he started parkour and free running, about four years ago, he has sustained several injuries. A particularly bad injury to his knee occurred when he tried to control a landing from about

two stories up. What happened next he recalls nonchalantly, was not so pleasant at the time. “I know friends had a video of me lying on the ground cursing my head off for five minutes,” Elsner said.

Wilson was introduced to parkour in a more gentle way when an acquaintance invited him to an open gym, which is an indoor gymnastics facility where techniques can be learned in a relatively safe environment.

“It was a 12 hour open gym, an overnight lock-in, and over those 12 hours, [the invitee] and a bunch of others showed me tips and tricks, they taught me so many things that first night. That was the night I really began to get into parkour and freerunning,” Wilson said.

The open gym has so far insulated Wilson from serious injury. Wilson said the worst physical pain he has experienced was when he fell from six feet onto the Plyo Floor - the bouncy floor material of the gym.

“I just had the wind knocked out of me, now granted, it was the worst wind knocked out of me I’ve ever had in my life, but that’s all I had wrong,” Wilson said.

In the safer environment Wilson finds experimentation and progress to be easier. Now, less than a year after his formal introduction to parkour, Wilson is able to show off quite an array of flips.

“Before I started in the gym, you couldn’t pay me to do a flip outside,” Wilson said.

Wilson attributes his quick uptake to the welcoming parkour community, which he found unusual in its open and friendly attitude.

“A lot of other extreme sports tend to have an air of elitism about them. Parkour and free running, by in large, the community is one of the most positive, welcoming and beginner friendly I have ever seen in my life. That’s really how I got started, through the wonderful community,” Wilson said.

This openness may come from what Wilson sees as the spiritual side of the

sport, which develops as a person becomes in tune with their own capabilities and is then able to view life differently.

“A lot of people can get really spiritual with it; really get a lot of drive and purpose when they realize they can accomplish a

lot of other goals in their life. If I can do this, then really, these other obstacles in my life don’t seem quite as insurmountable. I just ran up a 15 foot wall. I know I can get through college, I know I get that job, if I can do all this,” Wilson said.

The Art of Motion

STLCC-Meramec student Mike Wilson said parkour helps him realize his potential to achieve goals. Wilson said parkour can be dangerous but the reward is worth the risk.

PHOTO BY: TEGAN MAZUREK

ParkourJOE MAKOTO STAFF WRITER

PHOTOS BY: TEGAN MAZUREK

ART&LIFEDecember 6, 2012

As she entered the bus with her brother to transport across the desert of Somalia, Tegan Sutis expected no more than a hot crowded ride to her destination. Partway through the journey, Somalian bandits boarded the bus in an attempt to trade the passengers aboard for guns. When Sutis refused to tie up an old woman who had both of her arms broken in a previous incident, one of the bandits hit her across the face with his gun.

“In Somalia I was pistol-whipped across the face; that’s why I have this scar,” Sutis said.

Although an extreme experience, it is one of many that she has moments in her years of traveling with her mother. Sutis, an STLCC-Meramec student studying archeology and anthropology, has been traveling the world since she was 6, following her older half brothers Andrew James and Anton Bursicoff throughout their German and Russian military careers.

“I come from a military family. We are taught to handle stress and keep calm,” Sutis said. “Two are employed by various militaries, the last (brother) Kaspri is a Greek orthodox priest in Russia. How that happened in a military enforcement family is a great mystery.”

For years, Sutis lived in multiple houses, multiple cities, and multiple countries. Her travels took her to countries such as Russia, Antarctica, Japan, Cairo, France and even the Amazon. She said some cultures were easier to assimilate to than others.

“I don’t view the whole religious and

cultural differences like most people do,” Sutis said.

Living in England, Sutis said her British decent got her in and out of trouble in different countries. In Cairo, during the museum raids, she was taken captive under the assumption that she was Arabic. After hours of captivity, she was finally released.

“You view me as having an accent, and I view you as having an accent,” Sutis said. “Depending on if [that culture] liked British or American people, I can pull off being British or American,” Sutis said.

As Sutis traveled around Europe and the world, Sutis’s mother supported them as a medical nurse while playing the stock exchange of each country.

“One thing my mother is good at is investing in stock and trades. Also, you have to remember that different currencies translate to different things. In Mexico, a penny here could be three dollars there; that’s rather expanded but somewhat true,” Sutis said.

According to Sutis, constant travel and living arrangements began to wear her down.

“One bad thing about traveling to other countries is jet lag; best to go by boat. Also vaccinations, usually multiple ones at the same time; especially when going to South America or Africa. Sometimes they make you as sick as if you had actually contracted the real thing,” Sutis said.

While having to travel and learn the new culture and mannerisms of different countries, Sutis, who currently knows six languages fluently, said she used various

outlets such as YouTube to study her next location’s people.

“Study up on your slang. Get to know the culture. YouTube is surprisingly helpful in that situation, especially if the person is talking about himself or herself. It is very helpful. Never panic in a bad situation,” Sutis said.

Sutis said that overall she would not change a thing about the people she has met during her travels and is grateful for having the opportunity to get to know them.

“Try and treat everyone with respect.

Obviously, you’re as alien to them as they are to you,” Sutis said. “I usually seek out people who are my own age. Talking to people my own age usually gives me a good perspective on the culture I’m in.”

With only a few semesters left at Meramec, Sutis said she cannot wait to graduate and move on to a four year university and become a teacher sometime after that.

“It astounds me the fact that, though Meramec is very culturally diverse, a lot of people don’t know about each other,” Sutis said.

ALEX KENDALL MANAGING EDITOR

Around the world Meramec student Tegan Sutis spent years traveling the globe

STLCC-Meramec student Tegan Sutis has lived around the world in places like Japan, Cairo, France and many other countries.

PHOTO BY: TEGAN MAZUREK

Meramec’s Symphonic band performs in the campus theater for the annual Band Winter Concert. The Meramec Symphonic Band performed on Dec. 2 and was directed by Professor Gary Gackstatter.

PHOTO BY: TEGAN MAZUREK

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STLCC-Meramec student Katelyn Street was working on a class assignment for her entrepreneurship class at Webster University when she came up with a concept for starting a business.

“I was inspired to dedicate my project to a magazine concept because I knew some of the background behind the making of a small, local publication,” Street said.

Street’s major at Meramec was business administration; she attended St. Louis Community College for a total of six semesters. She is now enrolled at Webster University pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration management with an emphasis in marketing and a certificate in entrepreneurship.

“Having done a short internship with a local St. Louis publication, Eleven Magazine, I was able to take my knowledge gained from that experience and manipulate it into a different concept,” Street said.

Street was not active in clubs or school-organized activities at Meramec; instead she sought out other opportunities in her field of interest.

“I did some work with LiveNation at local

St. Louis shows, participated in the internship at Eleven Magazine, and was active in several online media programs to promote artists in the music industry,” Street said.

Street’s magazine would be titled Break Magazine. The magazine is purely a concept idea for a business at the moment. However, Street is very passionate about the possibilities it could provide to the St. Louis music industry, she said.

“We would need funding and some very dedicated, experienced, and fun employees to get the ball rolling,” Street said.

Break Magazine focus is to heavily promote local St. Louis music and the city’s culture, but focus more on the country music industry in the area as well as the Nashville, Tenn. area. While St. Louis has a unique music scene, it is lacking exposure in country music. Break Magazine will be designed to bring news from Nashville to St. Louis as well as promoting local niche in the music market.

“St. Louis is a shining beacon for music and eccentric culture of the Midwest, yet we don’t show it off much,” Street said. “Break Magazine will team with local musicians, artists, restaurants, venues, shop owners, and

anyone else interested in showing some St. Louis pride to promote our local culture.”

Break Magazine is a forming local publication featuring articles about the under-the-radar culture of St. Louis. Break will fill the gap between the local music industry and its supporters. Right now there are few printed outlets which feature country music in St. Louis. She intends to change that.

“I think the magazine could provide college students with great experience in the magazine production industry, as well as exposing students to different cultures and genres of music,” Street said. “The main goal of Break Magazine is to expose new and upcoming artists to potential listeners, bring passionate artists in touch with their fans, and promote the music industry as a whole.”

Break Magazine will be a safe haven for all artists seeking a career in the music industry, and for all readers wanting that intimate connection with local recording artists. Street said she hopes to bring a little bit of Nashville persona to St. Louis, but remain loyal to our local culture and promote it heavily.

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Turning the pageMeramec student aims to start STL magazineSANJUREE DAVIS STAFF WRITER

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SPORTS12December 6, 2012

Monday and Wednesday evenings music can be heard coming from the second floor of the Physical Education (P.E.) Building. Dance Aerobics class, also known as Zumba, is in session. As students exercise to music with a Latin flare, they are also knocking out one of the two P.E. credits necessary to graduate.

With over 30 P.E. programs offered between all STLCC campuses, Meramec is the first have a Zumba Sentao program.

Music, movement, motivation and magic, known as the Four Ms, drive the class according to Meramec Zumba instructor Angel Fingers. They are essentials to the program’s success. The key message is Zumba fitness is for people of all shapes, sizes and ages.

“Having Zumba at the college is a unique experience that is not for us [teachers], but the students,” Fingers said. “Our mission is to fulfill the needs of our students, [of] which many were asking for Zumba classes, and taking care of our students is why we’re here.”

Zumba incorporates fitness and aerobic

interval training. Along with innovative dance-fitness moves, the workout focuses on muscles in the lower and upper body, as well as strengthening the abdominal. The choreography can be modified and adapted to each individual.

According to Fingers, Zumba participants move their body to the music without over thinking.

“The bottom line is the music. It makes you want to move,” Fingers said. “We don’t talk. We just move. The benefits of Zumba are that you want to move because you like the music and all the other benefits are secondary.”

The movement to the music is what created this style of dance-fitness in 1986. Alberto ‘Beto’ Perez, a Colombian aerobics instructor, forgot his cassette tapes of aerobics music for a class he was teaching. He was forced to improvise the entire class using his personal cassette tapes, which consisted of Latin music — a non-traditional aerobics music style.

When Perez moved to the United States in the mid-1990s, he and two

Meramec with a little Latin flareMeramec offers Zumba Dance Aerobic classes for P.E. creditSANJUREE DAVIS STAFF WRITER

PHOTO BY: DAVID KLOECKENERParticipants during Dance Aerobics class, also known as Zumba, move to music during class on Dec. 3. Dance Aerobics classes are offered at Meramec during the Spring 2013. Students need two P.E. credits to graduate. The one credit class incorporates dance-fitness moves and Latin music.

As the 2012-2013 Lady Archers season passes the quarter-season mark, the Lady Archers sit with a 5-2 record. Although they have maintained a 14-game winning streak on their home court, which stretches back to last season, the Lady Archers have gone 1-2 in road games.

“The wins were good. The losses were bad,” Lady Archer head coach Shelly Ethridge said after their fifth win. “We’ve played kind of a tough schedule this year. We’re playing 13 Division I schools and 12 Division II schools. We knew the schedule was going to be challenging for us, but our two losses were pretty big defeats. We lost one in double overtime on the road and we lost one by 20 points on the road.”

As a Division II team, Ethridge hopes the competition against the Division I schools heightens their play on the court for the rest of the season.

“Hopefully, we can get a lot of learning experience from those two losses,” Ethridge said. “I’m happy with the five wins, but I think our better ball is ahead of us.”

As the season has progressed, so has the play of sophomore center, Paige Laird, according to Ethridge. Laird,

who averaged 2.7 points per game last season, averages 8.6 points per game thus far, this season.

“There is nobody that works harder than Paige every single day,” Ethridge said. “With Paige’s work ethic, it’s transpired right in front of us. She’s really developed.”

Laird gives Lady Archers assistant coach Melanie Marcy credit for her change in play between the two seasons.

“She has helped me so much. She knows what to say. She never discourages us,” Laird said. “She tells us, ‘You can do it.’ She shows us the right way and works everything through, step-by-step. She’s just amazing. She’s always encouraging us.”

The coaching duo of Ethridge and Marcy led the Lady Archers to the National Junior College Athletic Association Tournament last season, as well as the now defunct Meramec Magic during the 2010-2011 season. According to Laird, work still needs to be done to get to the national tournament again, but they are well on their way.

“I feel like we are not completely there yet, but we’re going to get there,” Laird said. “It’s exciting. I think we can do it if we want.

friends began promoting Zumba, which is Colombian slang for “fast,” and the Latin-style dance-fitness program was born.

The dance workout includes a wide variety of music. Along with the traditional Latin music of salsa, meringue and samba, Zumba has evolved to incorporate hip-hop, ballroom, pop and classical music. Classical music is played during the cool-down when yoga moves are used to steady the heart rate.

The combination of fast and slow

rhythms helps tone the body more quickly. While doing Zumba during one of the 50 minute Dance Aerobics sessions, a student can burn 500-1,000 calories.

Fingers, who will teach Dance Aerobics during the Spring 2013 semester along with Darcie Star, said that Zumba is more about having fun, than anything else.

“Zumba is a giant party,” Fingers said. “You spend the entire time dancing that it’s easy to forget that you are actually working out.”

Shooting highThe basketball Lady Archers look to challenge higher competition

SPENCER GLEASON SPORTS EDITOR

Sophomore forward Megan Hawkins takes a shot around Lindenwood-Belleville’s Shannon Woodside, during the Lady Archers game on Nov. 29. The Lady Archers won 76-52.

PHOTO BY: DAVID KLOECKENER

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