niagara-news.com Women’s basketball REAL, TRUE TEAM PUSHING FOR DETECTIVES PLAYOFF SPOT PAGE 12 NN PAGE 13 NIAGARA NEWS JANuary 24, 2014 • VOL. 45 ISSUE 8 New course making leaders out of students By GAUTAM AILAWADHI Staff Writer Are leaders born that way or can those skills be taught? LEAD NC, launched this year by the college, helps pre- pare students for leadership roles. Exemplifying leader- ship potential, 40 students, from different educational streams, were nominated by a Niagara College staff or fac- ulty member to participate in LEAD NC, the new Student Leadership Exploration and Development program. LEAD NC is a co-curricu- lar program designed to give Premier Kathleen Wynne and Liberal Party Leader Justin Truedeau visited several Niagara High schools last week. PHOTO BY NICK FEARNS students the opportunity to explore and further develop their leadership skills. Suc- cessful participants after the LET THE CAMPAIGNING BEGIN program will be earning a LEAD NC Distinction in By NICK FEARNS they vie for voters’ support Niagara hospital prior to candidate Joyce Morocco. - Leadership credential on their Staff Writer on Feb. 13. calling a byelection for the Progressive Conservative cial NDP candidate. Horwath co-curricular record. Last week the Liberal Niagara Falls riding. candidate Bart Maves and ofand Wayne Gates Gateswere asin Fortthe offi Erie It’s Monday. Who’s been Kathleen Wynne govern- All three parties leaders his party leader Tim Hudak calling on the Liberal gov- in town announcing what? ment announced an invest- have been supporting their have been promoting their ernment to “pony up” for a I believe leaders It’s byelection time. ment of $75 million towards candidates, with Federal “One Million Jobs” plan. Festival Meet at the Fort Erie are both born There has been a parade of a wine and grape strategy Liberal Party Leader Justin New Democratic Leader Race Track before the end of “ politicians and party lead- and a $26.2-million plan- Trudeau tagging along Andrea Horwath was also in the month. For more byelec- and nurture. ers in the last two weeks as ning grant for a new South to support Liberal party town for the announcement tion coverage see Page 5. CAROLYN FINLAYS”ON Through workshops, a speaker series and leader- ship experience, this free- Hugs: a gesture of love or an unpleasant exchange? of-charge program will offer students a unique opportunity Some believe that hugs are healthy Others would rather shake hands to develop their resumé and portfolio, gain a competitive By ALEXANDRA when people are generally By KYLE MELANSON widespread thought is that advantage, and valuable lead- MONTANA in dismal moods. Staff Writer people love hugs. It is com- ership skills and experience. Staff Writer Hug Day encourages peo- monly believed hugs bring The LEAD NC program ple to embrace family and Awkward, uncomfortable joy and comfort to all, and, started last December with an Hug the one you’re with. friends more often due to and an invasion of personal at times they do. However, a orientation on Dec. 12, and If you received a few the emotional and psycho- space. No, that isn’t describ- day created just to celebrate will end in April 2014. extra hugs on Jan. 21 it may ing a trip to the dentist the hug is a nightmare for Carolyn Finlayson, LEAD have been because Tuesday Canada, Australia, Germany but the often-unheard side some. program co-ordinator, says, logicaland China benefits are some it has. of Today, the effects of a hug. Chris Fraser, 22, of “I believe leaders are both holiday coined National Hug countries celebrating the Jan. 21 marked the 28th Welland, says that hugs are born and nurtured. People are wasDay. the annual unofficial annual National Hug Day. not for him. born with characteristics but I It was created in Michigan Chantelle Henszke, 22, of Twenty-four hours in which “They are an invasion of think we need to look at lead- by Reverend Kevin Zabor- unofficialNiagara Falls, holiday. says, “I like you are encouraged to give my personal space. I would ership in multifaceted ways. ney in 1986 and has since hugs because they’re warm hugs to family members, rather wave or shake some- “Leadership skills can be gained much attention. and welcoming. They are a friends, companions and one’s hand. I hate when a learnt. There are silent lead- Jan. 21 was chosen as great way to greet people if you’re up to it, strang- friend wants to hug because ers who have skills, which the perfect time for a hug and break down awkward ers. The hugs are meant to they haven’t seen me in allow them to take a step and holiday because it is after barriers.” be given without reason, awhile.” achieve their own goals.” Christmas and New Year’s Continued on page 9 JUAN MANN, FLICKR all casual hugs, all day. A Continued on page 9 Continued on page 2 Page 2 NIAGARA NEWS • Jan. 24, 2014 NEWS Niagara student wins nursing award By CARLIE CHERNENKO While there, she participated to help in learning.” Staff Writer in workshops and listened to Through a few chuckles, the keynote speakers. she offers that if she had the “Nursing is a high stress, In her winning essay she chance to go through the fast-paced profession where wrote, “I have come to real- program again she would actions and decisions result ize there are two moments take the lab components “a in instantaneous positive where I am most thankful lot more seriously.” or negative outcomes for for my simulation experi- On the SIM-one website, Dr. another human being.” ence: the moment immedi- Bruce Ballon, SIM-one’s direc- That is how Meghan Fri- ately before and the mo- tor of education, says, “Having esen, a 28-year-old Practical ment after I have safely and read and watched the entries, Nursing student, views the successfully performed that we see that health care train- profession she has chosen. skill on a patient.” ing has become more expe- Friesen is “very proud” of Friesen notes that she riential and transformative. I her program work, but will found the simulations dif- anticipate the entrants of this always feel she could have award will having exciting done a bit more. “It’s like the she had gone from using careers ahead.” house is clean, but it’s never ficultthem to appreciatebeing out in fully the until On that note, Friesen is really clean.” community with real people. unsure about what she She says that, despite hav- “You can say OK, I’m about wants to do after gradua- ing won the 2013 SIM Student to give an injection to this tion. She says she enjoys Award. She entered the person and I’m feeling a caring for others, but has SIM-one Simulation Student little bit more comfortable been contemplating going Contest with an essay about because I’ve had this experi- to medical school to further how health care simulations ence in the lab. I mean, that her education in the health have changed her learning. being said, it’s still really According to Friesen, the con- scary, but it is a feeling of “There’s a lot of consider; test was open to any health being much more prepared careit’s a field.big commitment. I’d care student in Ontario. and until you’ve had the lab like to have a family at some “It could be a chiropractor training and then gone out point [and] it’s a lot of time, student, a dental hygiene into the real world, it’s hard a lot of money. I would have student, med students, any Meghan Friesen, 28, proudly holds her award certificate as a 2013 SIM Student to understand.” to make sure that I was in it Her overall experi- health care student in the Award recipient. PHOTO BY CARLIE CHERNENKO completely.” province.” ence with simulations has While Friesen mulls that the emergency room at the Award, alongside Lucy Dong changed her outlook on the over, she says she feels like Practical Nursing program new hospital in St. Catha- allowed her to work outside Xuan Li from the University way she goes about doing she might miss the hands- here,Friesen which is isin deliveredthe modified in a rines. She will complete the saidof class. the modified delivery of Toronto, and was pre- her job. on aspect of nursing, or the slightly different way than program on Jan. 31. It was in October 2013, af- sented with the award at the “From an education “people care”. the regular program. Although she has enjoyed ter an announcement by one 2013 Ontario Simulation standpoint it’s helped me to “You know, I really, re- It is carried over three her program “very much” of her professors, Friesen Exposition in Toronto. appreciate the tools that we ally, really like caring for years instead of two and she adds, “You absolutely entered the SIM-one Simula- From Dec. 5 to Dec. 6, Fri- have in the skills lab at the people; I love it. It sounds most of the classes are on have to want to do it. The tion Student Contest. esen attended the 2013 SIM school and it’s made me want so cheap, but it makes me weekends or in the evening. more time you put into it, On Nov. 18, Friesen was Expo at the InterContinental to sort of help get the word feel full. That sounds so Friesen is completing her the better off you are.” announced as a recipient Toronto Centre Hotel along out and help other students embarrassingly cheesy, but program’s last placement in As for spare time Friesen of the 2013 SIM Student with over 300 other people.