News-JournalNews-JournalTrinity Valley

Volume 55 Issue 4 December 15, 2011Serving Trinity Valley Community College since 1972

TVCC Christmas Concert--pg. 2

The Trinity Valley Community College’s Theater Department put together one of their best plays yet.

“Duck Hunter Shoots Angel” was written by Mitch Albom, and was his first play not based on a book, as well as his first comedy. The play made its debut in 2004 at the Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea, Mich.

TVCC presented their production of the play on Nov. 17-20.

“Duck Hunter Shoots Angel” takes place in a swamp in Alabama where two brothers, Duane (Jeremy Pollard) and Duwell (Spen-cer Hancock), decide to go duck hunting but have never shot a duck before. While on the hunting trip, they shoot what they later think is an angel. Grief stricken because they fear they will be eternally condemned for killing one of God’s holy messengers, they scavenge throughout the swamp to find the angel, hop-ing it survived.

A reporter, Sandy (Sam Haynie), and his photographer, Lenny (Tevin Green), are sent to Alabama to check out the claims that two hunters actually shot an angel. Sandy and Lenny don’t believe the two hunters until wings and a tiara are found.

The play rapidly moves back and forth in time and between locations in Alabama and New York. The staging was phenomenal.

It is a very intelligent play with a lot of laugh out loud moments. One of the best things about this play is how well the actors play their characters. Pollard and Hancock oozed out their hillbilly side right on stage.

"Duck Hunter" was the theatre depart-ment's second production this fall. The play is currently being considered for the regional festival of the American College Theatre Fes-tival, which will be in the spring.

'Duck Hunter' shoots through expectationsBy Jake Yarbrough

Web/Entertainment Editor

Photo/Courtesy Jennifer Hannigan TVCC PR

Actors Jeremy Pollard (Duane) and Spencer Hancock (Duwell) are the perfect comedic duo in Trinity Valley's production of "Duck Hunter Shoots Angel."

Students: Evidence of meningitis shot required prior to registrationBy Tammie Unger

Staff Writer

According to the Trin-ity Valley Community College academic sched-ule for spring 2012 class-es, all students under the age of 30 must provide proof that they have had the bacterial meningitis vaccination before they

are allowed to register for classes.

Students must provide the college with at least one of following docu-mentation before they can register.

If student HAS had the vaccination, the student must have on records at least a physician signed or stamped document;

or a state or local health authority of-ficial immu-nization; or official school record from another state.

If a student does NOT have the vac-cination, the

student must have on re-cord at least a physician-signed af-fidavit or c e r t i f i c a t e stating the physician’s opinion the vaccination would be

injurious to the health or well-being of the stu-dent; or a conscientious exemption form from the Texas Department of State Health Services AND a student-signed affidavit stating the stu-dent declines the vac-cination for bacterial meningitis for religious belief.

Records of vaccina-tion or exemption must be recorded as evidence at least 10 days prior to class enrollment.

Evidence of vaccina-tion booster is NOT re-quired for students who are 30 years or older on the first class day of se-mester being attended.

Anderson Drug will be offering the vaccine dur-ing walk-up registration on Jan. 10, 2012.

News-Journal2 Campus News

www.tvccnewsjournal.com December 15, 2011

Editor-in-ChiefKelly Davis

Managing EditorKrista Newman

Copy/Graphics EditorRenan Zorer

Photo EditorKelly Davis

Sports EditorAdrian Price

Web/Entertainment EditorJake Yarbrough

Staff WritersBriana Blunt, Joshua Roberts, James Rush, Olivia Senagoo,

Tammie Unger and Lis Valencia

Production AssistantDee Freeman

Student Media AdviserDeidre Jones

Memberships: TIPA, TCCJA and ACP

The TVCC News-Journal is a monthly publication and is produced by the journalism students at TVCC’s Athens campus. Views expressed in the editorial section are the opinions of the writers and do not reflect the views of the TVCC administration. The News-Journal welcomes letters and suggestions. The TVCC News-Journal reserves the right to edit let-ters for grammar or length. Letters to the editor can be mailed to 100 Cardinal Drive, Athens, TX 75751; or e-mailed to journalstaff@tvcc.edu.

FOLLOW USwww.tvccnewsjournal.com

Classes StartJanuary 17, 2012

TVCC aims to maintain peaceful campus, changes made to code of conduct

Trinity Valley Com-munity College’s Code of Conduct was updated and has been in effect since Oct. 18. The changes are posted on the TVCC website.

The changes to the code of conduct have been brought up-to-date to meet the standards of The Association for Stu-dent Judicial Affairs. These changes were made to improve the TVCC campus, so that in the future, when ac-tions are taken, there will be a guideline on how to handle certain disciplinary situations.

The change to the code was not a deci-sion made by one in-dividual, but it was de-cided by the college to improve the code of conduct.

“Serious issues that happened in the past were not defined; this [revised code of conduct] will define certain issues on cam-pus,” said Charles M. Hueber, TVCC’s newly appointed judicial of

officer. “The campus appointed a staff; one that would bring the code of conduct up-to-date and address the issues that oc-curred in the past.”

Although the new code is posted on the college’s web-site, many students were unaware of the changes made to the code of conduct. Many students carry on without knowing.

“It’s very surprising that many students continue not know that the campus has a code of conduct,” said Jeremy Miller, 20, a music major from Brownsboro, Texas.

“Every school has a code of conduct. It’s basically like high school,”

Other students don’t care about the changes as long as the code doesn’t in-terfere with them ex-pressing themselves so they can continue their normal school day. Daniel Oliver, a liberal arts major from Eustace, Texas is indif-ferent to the code. ”As long as I get to wear whatever I want,” he said.

TVCC wants to maintain a peaceful campus and address the things that will not be tolerated on all of its campuses.

The code of conduct can be found in TVCC's 2011-2012 catalog.

By Lis ValenciaStaff Writer

Christmas Lights:A night of music

Athens' Dogwood Baptist Church was filled with great tal-ent and the Christmas spirit.

The TVCC Cardinal Singers and the TVCC Chamber Singers per-formed their last con-cert of the semester, "Christmas Lights," Dec. 3 . The program, hosted by TVCC and the Lakeland Com-munity Concert Asso-ciation, included spe-cial guests RoseMarie Wagoner and Santa Claus.

The choirs opened the concert with “Nowell” as they filed into two rows surround-ing the audience with candles before going on stage. The pianists, Marilyn Wright, Kirk Overmoe, and Mary Tidwell, then played “Joy to the World." The group then preformed “O Come, All Ye Faith-ful," “Mary’s Little Boy Chile" and “O Holy Night." The Cham-ber Singers stayed on stage and sang eight

more songs.Wagoner accom-

panied the choir and also performed a pia-no solo of “Hark! How the Bells." Santa Claus showed up after Rob-ert Boren sang a jazzy solo, “Everybody’s Wait-ing for the Man with the Bag”. He had a special chair on the stage and children were encouraged to go up and visit Santa and the parents could take pictures. After Santa settled in, the choirs took the stage for the finale with a

costume change out of their tuxes and dresses and into more “Christmassy” outfits.

While some of the songs were traditional like “O Holy Night” others were non-tradi-tional like “Mary’s Little Boy Chile” that had a calypso feel.

The end of the con-cert was much like the beginning. Both choirs took their candles and surrounded the audi-ence once again and sang “Silent Night” with former Trinity Val-ley choir students.

Photo/Jennifer Hannigan TVCC PRThe TVCC choir hosted their annual Christmas concert at the First Baptist Church in Athens.

By Krista NewmanManaging Editor

News-JournalCampus News

December 15, 2011 www.tvccnewsjournal.com3

The Trinity Valley Art Department had their an-nual art show on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1. The art show was divided in to three different sections: the silent auction, Louisiana-themed pieces and work produced throughout the semester.

In the silent auction, there was one painting called “Son of Man and Cardinal” by Shalyn-drea Burroughs, which was caught the attention of many art lovers. The painting is a remake of Rene Magritte’s 1964 painting “Son of Man."

“It’s the one with the apple over his face is what most people know it as. It’s weird because it’s a popular piece but most people know it as the man with the apple over his face,” Bur-roughs said.

There were many different kinds of art work at the show by many different artists, like "Take a Seat and Wait" by Daniela Matchael. "Take a Seat and Wait" is a 3-D art work and one of the best pieces of art on display, according to one art lover who attended the show..

The art show also had a contest for the art-ist where the visitors of the art show were the judges and voted on their favorite piece of art. The winner received a $200 gift card to Hobby Lobby.

Photo/Jake Yarbrough News-Journal

Second year art student, Shalyndrea Burroughs, displayed her piece, "Son of man and cardinal" at TVCC's annual winter art show.

TVCC art show brings culture to campus, community

To see art from the show, logon to www.tvccnewsjournal.com

By Jake YarbroughWeb/Entertainment Editor

By Carla RiveraLos Angeles Times (MCT)

LOS ANGELES−Colleges should examine a wider set of social, economic and personal characteris-tics to determine how they can help students re-main in school and graduate, a new report has found.

Aside from SAT scores and high school grade point averages, students' success in college relies on a number of other factors _ often overlooked _ that more accurately predict whether they will stay in school, according to the report scheduled for release Tuesday by the Higher Education Re-search Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Using information from a national survey of col-lege freshmen in public and private institutions as well as graduation data, the report found, for example, that students who visit a college be-fore enrolling, participate in clubs and other ac-tivities and those who have used the Internet for research and homework are more likely to com-plete a degree earlier than others. The costs of attending a college and the institution's size also contribute to students' success, the report found.

Overall graduation rates are up from a decade ago _ nearly four in 10 students (39 percent) grad-uate in four years today compared to 36 percent of students who started college in 1994, the report showed. But 56.4 percent of students now take five years to graduate.

Disparities in graduation rates by ethnicity and gender persist and the gaps are increasing, ac-cording to the report. First-generation students are especially at a disadvantage: Only 27.4 per-cent of these students earn a degree after four years compared to 42 percent of students whose parents attended college.

"The message to colleges is to use as much infor-mation as possible about their incoming students to assess what their probabilities are in terms of completion and think about services and pro-grams that need to be addressed," said Sylvia Hurtado, director of the research institute and one of the report's authors.

For example, providing more on-campus hous-ing and creating school rituals that create a sense of belonging can increase graduation rates, Hurtado said. Students who visit campus before

enrolling and those who are admitted early also are more likely to stay and graduate, she said.

The report found that private schools graduate more students in four years than public institutions. But the study suggests that much of that success is because private schools are more selective in the types of students they enroll. But public univer-sities, which are likely to enroll more low-income and first-generation students, graduate more of their students than would be expected, the report also found.

The report's findings will help colleges address issues that impede students' success, said Alice Knudsen, director of Institutional Research, Plan-ning and Academic Assessment at Mills College, a small campus in Oakland, Calif., with a diverse student body and large numbers of first-genera-tion and working students.

"This analysis wakes us up to factors that we might not have thought had that much impact on graduation," Knudsen said.

___(c)2011 the Los Angeles TimesVisit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.comDistributed by MCT Information Services

Keys to college students' success often overlooked, report says

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News-Journal4 Entertainment

www.tvccnewsjournal.com December 15, 2011

New Muppets movie is a joy to beholdBy Jamie Pettijohn

Staff WriterIt’s time to play the

music. It’s time to light the lights. It’s time to revisit the Muppets—on this review tonight!

The Muppets are back in their first the-atrical release since 1999. The movie is di-rected by James Bo-bin and written by Nicholas Stoller. Ac-tor Jason Segal plays Gary, the lead role in the movie.

After about two years of online videos like the "Ode to Joy", the Webby award-winning "Bohemian Rhapsody," and sev-eral short skits and par-ody trailers, Muppets Studios and Walt Dis-ney Company have brought the Muppets back into the spotlight of the entertainment world.

The movie is about a

pair of brothers, Gary and Walter, who are big fans of the Mup-pet Show from the '70s. They leave, along with Gary’s girlfriend, Mary (Amy Adams), and head to Los Angeles to see the sights and tour all the attraction—or run down to Muppet Studios. It is there that Walter learns of oil ty-coon, Tex Richman’s (Chris Cooper), plan to tear down the the-ater to get to the oil underneath.

Now Gary, Walter and Mary must bring all the Muppets back together and put on a huge show to raise the $10 million to buy back the Muppet The-ater. Right off the bat, the film is a joyous and amazing experience. You can tell that a lot of heart went into this movie.

Just like in the first Muppet Movie, this film is filled with tongue-in-cheek humorous writ-ing and pop culture references. Fans of the Muppets would have a thrill finding "Easter eggs" like ref-erences to the origi-nal show and various Muppet movies.

The songs, for the most part, are catchy and enjoyable and done in a fun, over-the-top direction. Of course, this wouldn’t be a Muppet Movie without star cameos (with the exception of Muppets Christmas Carol and Treasure Island), and the tradi-tion continued with this movie.

However, unlike the first Muppet Movie, the cameos come and go without giving much to do, other than to say that they’re there.

When I went into the theater to watch this

movie, even after all the buildup, I had only one expectation: It has to make me cry. It did. Twice! As you can already tell, I love this movie.

Are there a few things wrong with this movie? Yes, but I’ll admit that most of the problems are more nit-picky than anything else.

Some of the things I first find at fault I had to forgive because this is a tongue-in-cheek movie and can be overlooked. For ex-ample, in the first mu-sical number, why do the suitcases being thrown to side keep disappearing?

I have two major gripes with the movie. One is Walter’s char-acter and how the ending turned out.

Gary’s brother, Walter, looks like a Muppet himself, and reminds me of a

"Gary-stu" character, which means a self-inserted character in an already estab-lished story or continu-ity who has little to no character flaws and always seems to have the right answers. You run into that kind of character usually in a fan-fiction or a poorly written story; however, due to the parallelism between Gary and Mary’s conflict, Kermit and Piggy’s conflict and the focus on the revival of the show, Walter’s character flaw flies under the radar.

The second gripe, is the problem with the ending, which is some-thing I realized other people had as well.

WITH SOME SPOILER WARNING, the movie ended on a surpris-ingly dignified note, but at the last min-ute, the movie used a "cop-out" in which

everything turned out just the way they wanted in the end; the villain turned good from just a hit on the head, making Kermit's speech at the end of the movie a bit point-less.

The ending felt a bit disappointing but doesn't deter from the fact that the journey was what made this movie fun and enjoy-able for all ages.

Final Verdict: There’s a bit of something for everyone in this film and is worth watch-ing in the theater if you can. In fact, the sign of a good movie is its ability to be seen twice and still have the same experience.

I know that I’ll enjoy this movie the same way I did the first time when I watch it again this weekend.

www.tvccnewsjournal.com

Photo/(Andrew Macpherson/Muppets Studio/MCT)After a 12-year hiatus the Muppets are back on the big screen. Kermit the Frog, Jason Segel and Miss Piggy star in the new "Muppets" movie. The movie is now playing in theaters.

News-JournalDecember 15,2011 www.tvccnewsjournal.com5Campus News

Candidates for Graduationas of December 8, 2011

Thomas J. Baker III

Samantha Barron

Samuel W Barron

Ashly Nichole Belz

Jesse Alan Blank

Malinda Borchardt Bostick

Julianna J Boyd

Sheila Ann Brewer

Danielle Renee Brooks

Elizabeth D. Bubb

Karnina Bunch

Tucker Charles Burke

Emily Ann Bynum

Jennifer D Cade

Travon Michael Carter

Linda Kay Chambers

Kati Lauren Clark

Shelbi B. Clark

Kyle A. Clark

Jacky Timothy Collard Jr

Courtney Cook

Alma A. Cordero

Rebecca Couch

Eric Cox

Heath Lee Culp

Angel Cummings

Aaron B. Dagenais

Jonathan Dancer

Tyler Davis

Shannon Davis

Amber J. Dean

Miria Dean

Gared R. Douglass

Steve Droke Jr.

James Dye

Charles Lee Dyer

James Anthony Eakin

Katie Olivia Elledge

Athena Fernandez

Roger L. Foster

Gentry D. Garrison

Kevin Michael Garza

Ashley D. Gates

Sherry Gilbreath

Elizabeth M. Glasco

Donld L. Glenn

Ashley Ann Goodrich

Krista Goolsby

Adriana Guzman

Rebecca Hall

Erin Hardgrave

Justin Dale Harley

Dana R. Harris

Sasha Harris

Susan A. Harris

Sarah Jolene Hays

Joseph D. Haywood

Jeremy Ryan-Dakota Heddin

Cierra Jannice Henry

Anthony O'Neal Hernan-dez III

Carlos Hill

Casey Leigh Hobgood

Jenny Lynn Holley

Wesley Hollingshed

P. K. Holloway

Eric Wayne Hood

Megan Celeste Huckabay

Sally Ann Hughes

Darshan Ivie

Kevin D. January

Jazmin G. Jauregui

Ashley Taylor Jester

Timothy Jones

Derek Kellar

Erika Kelley

Christine Marie Killian

Ashley Nicole Kirkpat-rick

Patricia Ratliff Kyser

Wendy LaCour

Jerri Lynn LaFitte-Allen

Laura Ledezma

Rebecca A. Lewis

Claire Livernois

Lee Roy Loredo

Simmie N. Mann

Jordan Neil Martin

Briana D. McCarty

Esther Rodriguez Mc-Cormick

William Trent McDowell

Karen McGrew

Brittini Nicole Lawhorn Mead

Tory Miller

Natalie C. Mitchell

Jerod A. Mock

Gina Ramos Montoya

Myranda Moore

Worth Alexander Mor-rison

Cody Wes Nesloney

Kayla Elizabeth New-some

Lee Ann Joyce Nino

David L. Owens II

Donnella Owens II

Tonya Rose Pardue

Tiffany Brooke Parker

Rashunda Prentice Parkes

Holly Elizabeth Patterson

Brenda D. Paulk

Travis Wayne

Eric Lee Perkins

Roxana Perry

Seann William Perry

Zachary Pierce

Daniel P. Pierce

Brittney Ann Plessinger

Christopher Porter

Jacqueline Porterie

Ashley Rochelle Ellis Pritchett

Jeremy Raine

Dilisa Sue Rasbury

Matthew Jordon Rasbury

Courtney Michelle Rei-erson

John Charles Reierson

Veronica Lynn Renko

Elyzabeth Reyes

James Nathan Richards

Victoria Richardson

Pedro Rojas

Andrew L. Rooks

Angelica Danielle Rosa

Theodore Alfred Row-swell

Ginger Sadler

Consuelo Salas

Jerika Sanders

Chelle Schatz

Martez Shabazz

Whittney Cassandra

Heaven Sheridan

William D. Sisson III

Audra Lorraine Slay

Andre Small

Britton L. Smallwood

Bridgett Smith

Myicia Smith

Taylor Michelle Sorem

Tracy Soultanov

Elizabeth M. South

Audrey L. Stinson

Clifford Stokes

Marilyn Marie Tanksley

Tara Thompson

Haley Huseby Tilson

Bridget Lenore Turner

Wendy Tyler

Gabriela Urquiza

Carole Davis Valentine

Ashely Nicole Vega

Veronica Ramireq Vin-son

Derel Walker

Latifah R. Watkins

Lauren White

Danielle Elisabeth Wil-coxen

Stephen B. Willett

Elisabeth Grace Wilson

Joshua Worden

Yesenia Zapata

Kenneth Andrews

Alyssa Baker

Paige Brittany Barker

DaAngela C. Barnes

Barbara Ann Ginsel Blackmon

Maranda Kay Brittain

Glenda K. Brown

Rose T. Buffington

Jeanelita Caycoya

Donnie Crowsey

Tierra M. Dann

Karen Dinehart

Leah Dugan

Tina M. Eubanks

Sally Jane Evans

Misti Ewald

Elizabeth Anne Finney

Shai Fisk

Graduate names continued on page 8

Page 6 www.tvccnewsjournal.com December 15, 2011

Each year, homeschooled students sign-up for college, alongside other students, with their own expectations and hopes for achievement and advancement in the

work environment.What is homeschool? At one time, homechool-

ing was debated with question and doubt. Home school is the coordinated effort between parents or a legal guardian and students—preschool through grade 12—to obtain an education outside of con-ventional classrooms. Home schooling may range from a group of families educating their children or youth together, or it may be an individual’s personal efforts to self-teach at home. Home schooling has grown in popularity in Texas for the past 15 years.

In Texas, homeschooling was publicly and openly acknowledged as an acceptable form of educa-tion after Gary Leeper won a class action lawsuit against the Texas Education Agency in 1995.

The Supreme Court ruled that homeschooling is an acceptable form of education, comparable to an eduction one might receive at a private school. Since then, homeschooling has become a more widely accepted form of education.

Homeschooling methods are diverse. Those who do homeschool have found it to be the perfect out-let to achieve advanced grade placements and re-ceive a quality, diversified education. Homeschool can also offer a broader range for student success than in a conventional classroom.

Homeschool has been an alternative for students who feel frustrated and not challenged enough in a public-school environment; it can also provide a less-pressured environment to those students who fail in a public-school environment.

Homeschooling methods include the newly bud-ding idea of supplementing a public education with additional materials at home to aid learning. Home-schooling also includes a method called “un-school-ing,” which requires occurrences in everyday life to be presented by parents to home schooled students as an educational experience. This method varies from counting silverware at the kitchen table to a day at the office learning hands-on skills.

The most popular form of homeschooling is a bal-ance of written materials and daily experiences in the home environment. Some homeschool students transition to the public-school environment between the fourth and 10th grades.

Some homeschoolers alternate years between public school and homeschool depending on the parents’ observance of the student’s success and happiness in public school. Still, other homeschool-ers adhere to a stable environment from preschool through 12th grade after which the students gradu-ate with a high school diploma and transition to ei-ther the work environment or a higher educational

environment.The homeschool motto is: “homeschool makes no

fools,” and homeschoolers have proven this many times. Most home schooled students are successful in completing a 12-year homeschool educational pro-gram.

Homeschoolers attend college for many reasons; often those reasons are similar to other students’ rea-sons for attending college.

Rebecca KupetzRebecca Kupetz is in her early 20s. A history and gov-ernment major, she was homeschooled and has at-

tended college at TVCC. She currently works in management at a restaurant.

“It was always understood that if anyone went to college in our family, I would be the one to go. I grew up more indepen-dent than most other people I knew, and even ones I know now for that matter, so going to school and getting a career instead of a job worked well for me.

As I went to college, I saw how much of it can change you as a person, to a better person. I didn’t go to school last semes-ter due to financial circum-

stances. I hungered for more knowledge and some-thing better than 10-hour shifts, debating whether or not the customer was always right.

Adjusting to a college environment was easier to me as a previously homeschooled student. Time management is important to completing school through home school. Time management is probably one of the biggest factors in deciding which students perform well or not. As a homeschooled student ex-pecting to go to college, I had the opportunity to choose college level textbooks for my own educa-tion. I found the transition to be easier than most.”

Nicki HarrisNicki Harris, 28, continues to

advance her education at Trinity Valley Community Col-lege in addition to being a wife and mother. She volunteers at her church and other places. “I am going to college to ob-tain a bachelor’s degree in nursing, so that I can provide a better life for my daughter and myself. I have realized that the competition in today’s mar-

Why I went to college...

Homeschooled students can find success in college

Photo/Courtesy of Rebecca Kupetz

Rebecca Kupetz is a first-gener-ation college student. She credits being homeschooled to helping her succeed in college.

By Tammie UngerStaff Writer

December 15, 2011 www.tvccnewsjournal.com Page 7

environment.The homeschool motto is: “homeschool makes no

fools,” and homeschoolers have proven this many times. Most home schooled students are successful in completing a 12-year homeschool educational pro-gram.

Homeschoolers attend college for many reasons; often those reasons are similar to other students’ rea-sons for attending college.

Rebecca KupetzRebecca Kupetz is in her early 20s. A history and gov-ernment major, she was homeschooled and has at-

tended college at TVCC. She currently works in management at a restaurant.

“It was always understood that if anyone went to college in our family, I would be the one to go. I grew up more indepen-dent than most other people I knew, and even ones I know now for that matter, so going to school and getting a career instead of a job worked well for me.

As I went to college, I saw how much of it can change you as a person, to a better person. I didn’t go to school last semes-ter due to financial circum-

stances. I hungered for more knowledge and some-thing better than 10-hour shifts, debating whether or not the customer was always right.

Adjusting to a college environment was easier to me as a previously homeschooled student. Time management is important to completing school through home school. Time management is probably one of the biggest factors in deciding which students perform well or not. As a homeschooled student ex-pecting to go to college, I had the opportunity to choose college level textbooks for my own educa-tion. I found the transition to be easier than most.”

Nicki HarrisNicki Harris, 28, continues to

advance her education at Trinity Valley Community Col-lege in addition to being a wife and mother. She volunteers at her church and other places. “I am going to college to ob-tain a bachelor’s degree in nursing, so that I can provide a better life for my daughter and myself. I have realized that the competition in today’s mar-

ket is great. There are so many more opportunities for younger kids these days, than when I was in high school, to get a degree.

It has been difficult going back to school some-times. I have a one year old, and she requires a lot of my attention. When I am not at school, I don’t have the luxury to goof off and take naps. I can usually only do homework when she is asleep. So I stay up later than I would like to; plus, I am also married, so I still have wife responsibilities to attend to as well.”

James RobertsonJames Robertson, 26, is a war Veteran, husband,

and father; he is also pursuing a college degree at TVCC, and he offers his support to fellow war Vet-erans. He is currently working on his basics before deciding on a major.

“I went to college because it’s important. It’s a vital part of today’s society, whether it makes you ‘smart-er’ or more ‘disciplined,’ it’s pretty much a require-ment for success. That’s not to say college is not im-portant, because it is.

When you have educators, that actually care about teaching you something, and not just reread-ing a book to you, you learn something. I’m pretty sure an ability to read is the first step to becoming a college student.

I spent five years on active duty and now I am a re-servist and I never had the time to go to school when I was in. So here we are. I cannot say I have gained from my college experience what I want to just yet. I was in a major and quickly became aware that, for me, it was not in my taste. I have not begun the elec-tives for my new major, but will in the spring.

Adjusting to college was an experience at first. Without the military, I would have never been able to pay for classes. Coming into college at 25 was a unique experience because though I’m not al-ways the oldest student in class. I am certainly not always the youngest and the generation gaps are still noticeable. The current Veterans’ Representative made this a lot easier for all of us Veteran students, and I think I can speak for us all on that.”

Jerilyn AllenJerilyn Allen, 42, a widow, is attending classes at

TVCC for the sake of her children, so she can offer them more. She also helps care for her grandmother.

“I am hoping to get my associates of the arts and then my bachelor’s of science in nursing. I want to work with elderly patients or oncology.

I am going to college to become a better provider for my children. I want my boys to understand the value of an education.

What I have gotten from college is better social skills, better study habits and I have gained an awareness of my strengths and weaknesses. I have adjusted

to the college environment by being more open to other people’s thoughts and study methods. I have learned to listen to other people and their views, even when I do not necessarily agree with them.”

Jordan NeelJordan Neel, 21, was homeschooled and is now a

sophomore in college pursuing a degree in nursing at the University of Texas-Tyler. He works at Pine Cove and Right At Home Health Care.

“I went to college because I knew I would have an opportunity to get a good education while meeting lifelong friends in the process. So far, I have gotten these things, plus a lot of life lessons.

I have also gotten the experience of just being on my own for once. It took a little bit, but after finding some good friends and getting plugged in, which re-ally helped in the transition, I have had a good col-lege experience. I have done well in college and made friends.”

Home schooling offers a unique setting to those students who receive such an education, and it pro-vides a step-up for those who later choose to go to college.

Nicki Harris, a homeschool graduate, juggles being a mother and college student.

Photo/Courtesy of Nicki Harris

From my own personal experiences growing up as a homeschooler, when it was time to study, I spent two-to-four hours a day studying from five or more subjects including agricul-ture, animal husbandry, be-havior, canning and preserv-ing food, cooking, drawing, farming, gardening, hand-crafts, health, herbs, history, housekeeping, literature, math, money management, music (violin, piano, and reading basic keys), read-ing, science, sewing, writing and wildlife identification. I rarely spent more than four hours sitting in a day. I could work as fast or as slow as I needed to learn a subject and complete the workbook.

Our bookwork was as-signed on a weekly basis, and if we completed the whole week of book-work in two-or-three-days of study, we either moved ahead in the books or were free for the rest of the week. We stilled were schooled, but in more hands-on skills out-side of the bookwork.

We used a variety of school materials, includ-ing curriculum from places such Bob Jones University Press or A Beka Books, and numerous other sources. We still had daily household chores and farming year around, even after we were finished with bookwork. Dur-ing the summer, we helped with the garden.

Our achievement was based on learning and not on grade level, and some-times we were in one grade level in one subject and an-other grade level in another subject. If we had difficulty with a subject, we spent more time on it. If we already knew the topic, we skipped ahead until we were more challenged. I never remem-ber being bored at home as a child or youth. I was never bored until I started work-ing a regular job at regular hours in my mid-twenties. At present, I am working to earn my associates in com-munications at TVCC in Pal-estine, Texas.

Tammie’s Story

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Graduate names contin-ued

Amanda Ann Flores

Luis C. Flores

Tessa D'Lyn Foster

Anthia Dawn Frye

Susie Gaytan

Shane Goetz

Erica Gomez

Genene Greene

Alicia B. Grounds

Shelby Anne Haghighi

Breann Herrera

Glenna D. Hetherly

Clinton W. House

Selena House

Stacy Huckabay

Amanda Joyce Hyden

Alexandria Johnson

Ryan A. Jones

Clara M. Keeton

Penney Kile

Jeffrey Ryan Klingler

Heather Michelle Law-rence

Amy J. Leek

Karina D. Longley

Michael David Malone

Amanda Elizabeth Man-ken

Yurika D. Martin

Linda Rosa Mata

Katie McClintock

Amanda McShan

Stephanie Meadows

Sean Mizell

Patsy Annett Moore

Melanie Shea Motl

Callie J. Murphy

Lauren Murray

Wynetta Nivens

Mallory Norman

Ronald Ootsey

Aidee E. Ornelas

Francisco Javier Padron

Rebekah L. Phillips

Tommy R. Raxter

Michele LaToya Ray

Chase L. Rippy

Esmeralda Salas

Lara M. Sauer

Natalie Segovia

Mathen Shoup

Kacey Smiley

Sarah Speaker

Whitney Breanne Sprag-gins

Daniel J. St. Ama

Megan Renea Stanford

Barbara Lindsey Stone

Wendy Stone

Devon Dale Talley

Teresa M. Toombs

Alexandra Valentine

Daniela Valenzuela

Gabriela Valenzuela

Patricia Ann Vann

Brice N. Wade

Ashley Walker

Christopher Lee Walling

Stacey Wampler

Kara Elizabeth Ward

Tori Warner

Stacy Renee Wesson

Alli Wheeler

Kelsey Ann Hope Whiteley

Anna L. Wilson

Robbin R. Wilson

Anibal Zarate

Christopher D. Zinn

Congratulations Graduating

Class of 2011