GO ORBIG GO HOMELESS The Best of the Best. CCDʼs Journalism THE BESTOF Excellence THEBEST Award PHOTO PHOTO OF MISCHIEVOUS GRANDMA’S BOOK SAVES EIGHTIES TEEN THE THE NOT GONE, BUT BEST BEST SOMEHOW FORGOTTEN OF OF THE PURSUIT OF PHOTO PHOTO ACCOMPLISHMENT A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS Pg. 27THE BEST CCD’S HIDDEN GEM OF I BELIEVE IN VINYL PHOTO 1 Fall 2014 The Star, Community College of Denver’s student run Journal of Excellence, incorporates visual and written media to provide a platform of expression available to all CCD students. We adhere to Associated Collegiate Press guidelines. SENIOR EDITORS: Troy Elenga Aaron D. Graff SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR: Chanel Ward GENERAL EDITORS: Tanaka Machisa Theresa Cole Elijah Basore ART DIRECTOR: Lysander Romero DESIGNERS: Jordan Chavez Sam Doran Lynette Fry Michael Hynoski Kristel Irvine Joe Rollman Derek Washington FACULTY ADVISORS: K. Strother, Professor, English/ Journalism Lisa Erickson, Adjunct Faculty English John Kjos, Chair Graphic Design Program The Star is a student run publication and does not represent the official opinions or views of the Community College of Denver. 2014 © 2 Fall 2014 I believe in “digging”. Digging I believe good vinyl can bring is the hunt for good vinyl. It’s people together. Creating a CONTENTSmore often reserved for DJs playlist on an mp3 player is as searching for that perfect simple as click and drag, but sample but can be enjoyed sitting down with someone by anyone with access to a and pulling out a stack of vinyl turntable. Everyone who col- to listen11 to is a much more lects vinyl has a list of albums rewarding experience. I get to they want to find, and when I talk with others about their FEATURESdiscover one of those albums musical tastes, pull out vinyl I in a stack of records, it brings know they will loveThe andBest ofvinyl the Best. CCDʼs me an unrivaled feeling of they’ve never heardJournalism before excitement, completion, and that they probably Excellencewill love. 5 I BELIEVEresolution. IN Some VINYL albums on Watching someone’s Awardface light my list are more important to up and that uncontrollable 8 CCD’Sme thanHIDDEN finding GEM a soul mate, smile they get when they hear and listening to them is going something they like means 11 GOto BIG be betterOR GO than HOMELESS sex. I’ve doneGO my job. When I have I believe in the process of people over, OR I like to turn off THE PURSUIT OF 15 opening new vinyl. Like a the TV and just BIGplay good mu- ACCOMPLISHMENT lover undressing, unwrap- sic on vinylGO in the HOMELESS background. ping the cellophane cover- Vinyl sparks conversation MISCHIEVOUS GRANDMA’S 19 ing a new record reveals the where there would be silence BOOKbeauty SAVES within. EIGHTIES Most records TEEN as we stare blankly at a screen. are black, but sometimes I NOT GONE, BUT I believe that good music can 23 crack open a new album and SOMEHOW FORGOTTEN improve anyone’s day, and find surprising colors. I have taking the time to listen to vinyl that is red, yellow, pink A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS music8 on vinyl is one of the 28 and white, and I have a few best things you can do for albums with pictures printed THE SOLDIER’S SOLILOQUY your ears. 30 on the vinyl. Even if I don’t get a surprising new color, just studying the album art blown I believe in up to 12” by 12” or exploring vinyl. PHOTOthe pull SUBMISSIONSout sheet and reading 15 the lyrics while listening to my newBill album White is an almost religiousChanel experience Ward for me. 5 Ealasha Vaughner “Some albumsWill onEpstein my list are more importantYevgeniya to me Arushanova than finding a soul mate, andAaron listening Graff to them is going to beAnna better Stein than sex” Mandi Stevens Ari Benitz Gama Theresa Cole 28 3 w After The Storm Photo By: Ealasha Vaughner 4 I Believe in Vinyl Nikolas Aiduk walked into a high-priced, sound you can find. I rushed home overly-hip, used furniture to my lime-green turntable. I store. I was looking for a placed my new Paul Simon album I chair, but when I turned a on it and dropped the needle. I corner towards the back of the heard that initial pop of the record store, an otherworldly spotlight hitting the vinyl, which still makes from the heavens shown down on my heart skip a beat every time. two shelves filled with old vinyl re- My room filled with a sound so full cords. Jackpot. The records glowed that I could hear things I had never with the promise of an amazing noticed when listening with my new find, and those two small mp3 player. The ridges of the wire shelves did not disappoint. The wrapped around the thick strings store cat had wandered up to me of the guitar, the tiny nuances in and started to purr. He stretched Paul Simon’s voice quivering with and rubbed on my legs while I sadness or anger, even entire words began the process of meticulous- I had never truly understood were ly flipping through every record now crystal clear. on those shelves. But I could not I believe in “digging”. Digging be distracted. My girlfriend told is the hunt for good vinyl. It’s more me about a chair she liked, and often reserved for DJs searching the best response I could muster for that perfect sample but can be was an uninterested grunt while enjoyed by anyone with access to I checked every single record for a turntable. Everyone who collects scratches. Whoever filled those shelves with records knew what they were doing. Every album was in pristine condition, even though some of the albums were twice my age. That day I found some of my favorite albums, first pressings of the Beatles, Paul Simon and Frank Sinatra. I believe that good quality vinyl, on a turntable with a good needle and hooked up to good speakers, is the highest quality 5 vinyl has a list of albums they want I know they will love and vinyl to find, and when I discover one of they’ve never heard before that those albums in a stack of records, they probably will love. Watch- it brings me an unrivaled feeling of ing someone’s face light up and excitement, completion, and reso- that uncontrollable smile they lution. Some albums on my list are get when they hear something more important to me than finding they like means I’ve done my job. a soul mate, and listening to them When I have people over, I like is going to be better than sex. to turn off the TV and just play I believe in the process of opening good music on vinyl in the back- new vinyl. Like a lover undressing, ground. Vinyl sparks conversa- unwrapping the cellophane cover- tion where there would be silence ing a new record reveals the beauty as we stare within. Most records are black, I believe that good music can but sometimes I crack open a new improve anyone’s day, and taking album and find surprising colors. the time to listen to music on I have vinyl that is red, yellow, vinyl is one of the best things you pink and white, and I have a few can do for your ears. I believe in albums with pictures printed on vinyl. the vinyl. Even if I don’t get a sur- prising new color, just studying the album art blown up to 12” by 12” or exploring the pull out sheet and reading the lyrics while listening to my new album is an almost religious experience for me. I believe good vinyl can bring people together. Creating a playlist on an mp3 player is as simple as click and drag, but sitting down with someone and pulling out a I believe in stack of vinyl to listen to is a much vinyl. more rewarding experience. I get to talk with others about their musical tastes, pull out vinyl “Some albums on my list are more important to me than finding a soul mate, and listening to them is going to be better than sex” 6 PHOTO ESSAY: Antigua Guatemala By: Will Epstein 7 CCD’s Hidden Gem By Chanel Ward tudents often say that The Community College would like to finish a semester without tears. of Denver is a different experience from that of “Crying my way through college” is how Ruby any other community college or university. It’s explained her start at CCD. Her positive attitude and more personable; professors are able to assist high hopes for success led her in the right direction, Sstudents individually, and smaller classrooms create a but this didn’t come easy. Ruby had to face closed doors family-like environment. before any would open. But luckily she stuck it out and Students begin as strangers who become peers, got a break when she met several professors who would but by the end of each semester, many students help shape her college career. feel comfortable with each other, building lasting Two of Ruby’s English professors, Brian Dickson relationships with other students and faculty. There and John O’Leary, worked with Ruby and encouraged are many similar but untold stories of student her writing. Ruby described her literature and experiences at CCD, like Ruby Lau, a student who composition reading classes as an integrated study that inspires all she meets. combined literature with the basic tools for writing Ruby isn’t a typical student; however, she’s essays, offering students individualized help.