By Margaret Hartofolis
A Tuberculosis Sanatorium opened on the grounds of what is now The College in the Spring of 1916.
The establishing of the sanatorium has much to do with doctors William H. Ross of Brentwood and Frank Overton, both who lobbied the County Legislature for the creation of the sanatorium. In fact, Ross previously ran a health resort in Brentwood. He strongly believed that breathing pine scented air was good for those suffering from respiratory issues, and his beliefs are the reason why the land was chosen.
“There was a general belief that you can get some relief from Tuberculosis if you were on high land, sandy land and piney land and this of course was perfect for that,” Albin Cofone, professor of social sciences, said. Biology Professor Reynold Welch said The New York State Conservation Commission donated 10,000 Norway Spruce and Scotch pine trees, thus, easing the pain of patients.
An individual could contract Tuberculosis very easily so it was vital that those infected were isolated, History Professor Denise Haggerty, said.
“In Suffolk County in the early part of the 20th Century we had a public health nurse who had the authority to go out in the community and if people showed signs of Tuberculosis she had the authority to force them into treatment,” Haggerty said.
Dr. Edwin Kolb was the first superintendent of the sanatorium. He served as the superintendent for 33 years up until his retirement. He lived on campus in what is now known as the cottage. President Ammerman, Suffolk’s first president, lived there as well. “Every Christmas he would host a Christmas party and he invited all of the faculty,” Haggerty said. The cottage still stands today where the college foundation office are located.
The sanatorium’s first buildings were constructed in 1916, said Welch. They consisted of an infirmary and dormitories for both men and women. These buildings were demolished in the 1970’s and the Southampton Building currently is in place of them. In 1922, a new infirmary was built. This building, the oldest on campus, still stands today and is known as the Norman F. Lechtrecker (NFL) Building.
Photo Courtesy of Reynold Welch, Infirmary 1936
It wasn’t until 1935 that the Ross Building, today known as the Ammerman Building, and Marshall Building, also known as Kreiling Hall, were erected. They were created as a result of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration. The Ross building was consequently named after the doctor
Photo Courtesy of Reynold Welch, Ross Building 1935
active in tuberculosis matters,William H. Ross. While the Marshall Building was a memorial
building dedicated to Dr. J.H. Marshall, once president of the Suffolk County Medical Association. The Ross building was for male patients while the Marshall building was for children.
There was a one room schoolhouse on the sanatoriums property to teach the tubercular children. According to The Times of Middle Country, teacher Frannie Curtis taught an average of 22 students. Students even had the chance to use a playground thanks to donations from others.
Photo Courtesy of Reynold Welch
Located on the roof of the Marshall Building was a “place for plane spotting during World War II. They were put on top of buildings all over the east coast during World War II to watch for invading Nazis,” Welch said. This can still be found today. You could also still find a small structure on the roof where a compass rose is located on the ceiling.
Photo Courtesy of Renold Welch
Dr. Kolb, man in black suit, on the roof of Marshall Building
A common myth that exists at the college is one that a morgue was located in Kreiling Hall. Welch disputed this myth by stating there were large walk in refrigerators were located in the basement of Kreiling Hall that resembled a morgue. When a patient died, an ambulance was called and the body was taken to a hospital, Welch said.
The number of patients treated “Varied year by year. Treatment meant a number of things. For example, in 1933, a census of patients in November was 101 on-site patients, almost evenly divided male/female, but over the course of the year, about double that had been treated, as some do not stay that long, and, of course, some die,” Welch said.
The sanatorium began to lose its patients in the mid 1900’s. “With the coming of the vaccination it was no longer necessary,” Haggerty said. All that was left in 1961 was an out-patient clinic.
Suffolk County Community College was established Dec. 18, 1959, Haggerty said. Its first classes were held in October of 1960 at what’s currently Sachem High School North in Ronkonkoma. In 1961, the Selden campus opened to 1,550 students. Shortly after in 1942, the first class graduated with 42 students.
By Sara Schabe
Beer, parades and the color green all seem to be synonymous to the Irish in America. On Wed. March 16, Professor David Hannigan and Historian Michael McCormack explained to students and faculty that the Irish had a much more significant impact on America than just a day to party.
An event was held on the 16, the day before St. Patrick’s Day, to honor the approaching 100 year anniversary of the Irish Uprising that occurred on Easter of 1916.
At the presentation, each audience member was handed a copy of The Irish Republic, a document declaring Ireland’s independence from England. This document was the first declaration of independence to have included women as well as men in its sentiments. Students and faculty were also invited to try some home-made Irish Soda bread or bagels for those looking for a more domestic treat while listening to Irish war songs and watching clips of the uprising.
Once everyone was settled in, History Professor Denise Haggerty gave a brief explanation on what the day was about and an introduction to the two presenters. Haggerty discussed key points of the influence Ireland has on America and said that on St. Patrick’s Day, “it seems everyone wants to be Irish, at least for the day.” She then went on to give a mini history to why we associate the Irish with music and parades. “[They] allowed immigrants to showcase their pride and earning for that independence from British rule,” Haggerty said. She told the audience that the presentation being given was to highlight the idea that we haven’t been giving the Irish enough credit for their contributions despite their being a strong connection to Long Island.
History Professor David Hannigan, historian and author from Ireland, opened the presentation with an exuberant retelling of the initial stages of the U.S.S Holland, and Irish made submarine crafted for the American Army. Hannigan explained the utter awe and slight confusion felt by the Fenians, members of the Irish Rebel, as they stared at this “strange contraption” also referred to Hannigan as a “metal pill-shaped vessel.”
Responsible for this seemingly far-fetched invention were Irish Professor John Phillip Holland and his engineer, William Dunkerley. The two of these men decided to invent a submarine that could be used to counter-attack British forces in the ensuing wars. The men watching this invention come to life were in complete awe. Professor Hannigan explained their disbelief, and slight terror to be similar to, “Children the first time they witness a magician sawing a woman in half.”
han that. Holland brought the idea to life.
In his speech, Hannigan said the submarine would be used to “vanquish the British” and be named the “Fenian Ram by the excitable New York Press.”
Back in Ireland, the Irish were not typically viewed to be a confident people with a sharp sense of confidence and can-do attitude. Hannigan addressed this and accredited it to the fact that they were in America. In America, “no scheme seemed too outsized or too outrageous for the [Fenian] organization to undertake,” Hannigan stated.
Professor Hannigan then went on explain what this has to do with New York. For one, a vast majority of the Irish immigrants that came to America landed in New York in the wa
ke of the Great Famine. Also, one of the Fenian Rams currently lays at the bottom of the river by the Throgg’s Neck bridge. On the larger scale, “40 million Americans claim Irish Ancestry today,” according to Hannigan.
Bringing it closer to home, one of the Holland Submarine prototypes was launched off of the coast of Mattituck, at the end of New Suffolk.
After Professor Hannigans story about the submarine, Historian Michael McCormack spoke about the Easter Uprising and the events leading up and following it.
Michael McCormack, an Irish-American, whose grandparents were born in Ireland, explained the steps and struggles the Irish went through to gain their independence and that they used American funding and support to carry it out.
The Irish Uprising occurred on Easter Monday, April 24, 1916. This uprising helped Ireland gain more independence.
By January of 1919, Ireland formed their own assembly and by 1922, the Anglo-Irish Treaty was in full effect. “Ireland was then a self-governing dominion like Canada until they finally removed all ties on Easter Monday of 1949,” McCormack explained.
One man directly associated with the Irish Uprising and part of the Irish Republican Brotherhood was Thomas J. Clarke, a man who lived right on Long Island as a farmer in Manorville.
This presentation was organized by Professor Hannigan and fundraised for by the History Club. “Knowing this history is important because every year people celebrate their own version of Irishness without knowing the history or what it’s about,” Hannigan said, “we really need to educate students and I wish there were more events like this and less drinking and parades.”
By Isabelle Desilier
“Getting students to apply for internships isn’t the problem, it’s getting them to know about it.”
Have you ever heard of the Co-op Ed & Internship Program? Of course you have; you just don’t remember. Oh, you know! Remember when you went to visit colleges, and the representative hits you with a three ton truck load of information about how you can save money, and then you zoned out for half a second due to their monotone and/ or obviously rehearsed, fake- cheerful voices boring you to death, leading you to miss this piece of golden information? (It’s totally on purpose. Okay, so maybe it’s not, but it sure feels like it!)
“I didn’t even know that I could take an internship course in place of [my Humanities] class.” Rhea Morris, current SCCC student on the Grant campus.
Well, fear not my similarly minded colleagues; I have what you need to know. (And more!) Let’s get down to business- first and foremost, what is Co-op Ed & Internship Program?
The Cooperative Education and Internships is a program that allows students to enroll into courses in which, for some, they would only have to attend weekly one hour seminars. In the meantime they would be working in the fields of their potential jobs, gaining experience and network. There are some programs however that have shorter required hours, but you would have to attend class normally.
Each course has a college credit of 3 or higher, allowing you to gain experience, education and new professional connections in the field of your choice, or even a one you would never had thought to follow, all the while gaining college credit. Best part? Everything you need to know and how to apply is on the SCCC website.
Okay, I lied… that wasn’t the best part, it’s the easiest. This is the best part: you get the opportunity to travel away from here, our sweetly sunny SUNY Suffolk. Yes, you read that right- travel! As in, other states, countries- continents! And if you don’t know the difference, please return to the fifth grade to get reeducated. Thank you.
You can even get into Disney for free, kind of… (If you call manual labor free…). So beside the point! Which is: by rolling into the Co-op Ed & Internship Program, you can get opportunities that you may not be able to get otherwise, like, ever. With this program, graduating can come sooner, and you can leave with a better outlook on your future, and self.
Oh, did I mention you could potentially get paid? You heard me: mullah, green, dough, guap, cash, bread, bank, bills, dollars, etc. You get the point. Some of the internships offered are paying internships which means you literally get paid to learn.
See? Learn something new every day.
Unfortunately, not every internship will offer you all the sweet deals listed here: in fact, if you look on your Sain’s Report, it will not tell you whether or not your program allows you to participate in any internship during a semester. Professor Miller has been fighting to get that changed.
“Getting students to apply for internships isn’t the problem, it’s getting them to know about it.” Professor Veronica Miller, internship professor of the 203 Women’s Studies and head of the Financial Aide facility on the Ammerman campus.
“It is not right that students have this kind of opportunity and don’t know about it. Students do get emails about the internships but they don’t get very much detail about them or know how they can apply. Furthermore, how many students actually read the nonreply emails sent to them? I hope that that changes someday but until then, I am here.”
Until then, Sharks, if you have any more questions:
Visit the FAQs page or email email@example.com/ firstname.lastname@example.org with your name, ID number and your questions. (Prof. Veronica Miller, email@example.com, will be able to answer more specific questions for you. Professor Miller is located in the Financial Aide department on the lower floors of the Ammerman Building across the halls of the Registrars offices.)
Please be sure to use your school provided email as administration, staff and faculty are not encouraged to contact student via personal email to/ from school emails.
By Jeffrey Lerman
Feral cats have been an issue on Long Island for several years now that organizations have formed in an attempt to solve it. Various not-for-profits collect abandoned cats and often neuter them to prevent them from reproducing rapidly. It’s a step in the right direction to prevent feral cats from spreading further.
The major issue people have is distinguishing the difference between a feral cat and a stray cat. The Lost Hope Animal Rescue aims to clear up that difference to inform people. This makes it easier for people to understand the danger of wild cats they encounter as opposed to scared cats nearby. The arising problem of feral cats alongside abandoned cats combines leading people to believe they’re one and the same.
The difference between feral cats and stray cats outright is that a feral cat has adapted to its wild life. It was either raised in the wilderness or has adapted to it through being abandoned for a long period of time. This is a cat that you have to worry about as they become fearful of humans after not having had any interaction for a while. They can react aggressively and potentially give you rabies if they attack.
The Lost Hope Animal Rescue is a not-for-profit shelter for rescuing and rehabilitating stray animals. Their mission is: “Through its many programs, Last Hope is attempting to reduce the tremendous cat and dog overpopulation problem on Long Island, encourage responsible and affordable pet ownership, and transform the public image of the typical pound animal.”
A stray cat however is a cat that is abandoned but is still reliant on humans for survival. They’re often found hiding near civilization and not hunting for food in the woods. Whether it’s a garage, under a car by someone’s house, in a backyard, etc. Anywhere that’s near people so they can possibly get food from them. The life of captivity is still important to them and therefore they’re not as aggressive as feral cats. They’re more likely to cozy up to someone since they don’t know how to survive on their own and still depend on people for food. This is in part why
Since 2010, feral cats have been frantically roaming Coram, NY. Brookhaven’s former Supervisor, Mark Lesko has addressed the issue stating to ABC7 Eyewitness News, “That’s what really drove this, is this feral cat population is hunting, and they’re hunting, among other things, birds. If there’s an endangered species by all means we should all protect.”
The Riverhead Building on campus has several cat houses behind it on the way to the Brookhaven Gymnasium. These cat houses are hidden underneath a clutter of bushes along a pathway the runs along the Riverhead Building. The bushes run far back down the hill they’re on, allowing for a shelter for the cats making this an ideal spot. An issue with this is that there’s consistently litter underneath the bushes that could potentially be brought here by the cats.
It’s questionable whether these cat houses should be here or not as they lure cats to the area. This can be a way to lure cats and then trap them to neuter them, but it’s unknown if this is the purpose. The positive to this is that there may have been cats roaming the campus to begin with and this prevents them from becoming feral. By keeping some form of human interaction with students wandering by and giving them shelter, it keeps them close to civilization.
If the houses weren’t there, they may still lurk on campus but turn aggressive due to that lifestyle. Having the cat houses on campus is a double-edged sword with both positives and negatives to them. Aside from the litter that they have gathered, people have been feeding them kibble. This shows that they’re still reliant on civilization, emphasizing that they’re stray cats rather than feral ones. With how they’re taken care of, it wouldn’t be far off to say they’re pets of whoever takes care of them. It’s possible a student is taking care of them or someone from the Riverhead Building, but this is unknown.
The Lost Hope Animal Rescue has their “Fix-a-Feral” program which mainly focuses on allowing the public to spay and neuter feral cats. People can borrow traps for catching cats in their area. While the program has workshops for educating people about the ongoing issue, it encourages others to focus on cats that are more toward strays than feral. Cats that are fed by house owners are borderline pets and are less likely to react unexpectedly to movement.
By Andres Castro
With the ending of each semester there are some students that are going to make the decision to transfer from two-year colleges like, Suffolk County Community College, to four-year institutions such as Stony Brook University or Dowling College.
Some of these students are just thinking about their academics and how their grades and credits will transfer while there are student athletes who have to think about that as well as continuing the sport they have been playing or maybe trying out a new sport.
At SCCC, home of the Sharks, the athletic teams that are offered for men are baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, and track and field. For women there is basketball, bowling, cross country, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.
Even with all the sport options SCCC has to offer, usually at four-year institutions they have plenty more to choose from.
At Stony Brook University, located in Stony Brook, New York, and home of the Seawolves, they offer very similar athletic sports as SCCC. For men they offer baseball, basketball, cross country, lacrosse, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, and track and field. They differ because they offer football. For women they offer the same sports as SCCC, but they do not offer bowling.
At Dowling College, located in Oakdale, New York, and home of the Golden Lions, they offer men’s sports which include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, and tennis. For women athletes transferring from SCCC and that want to try a new sport, Dowling College has its very own women’s field hockey team. They also offer basketball, cross country, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, and volleyball.
At the more well known expensive schools such as, New York University, home of the Bobcats, they have the ability to offer a wider variety of sport options. The men’s sports that NYU offers are baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, and track and field. Men transferring from SCCC, also have the different option of participating in fencing, volleyball, and wrestling. Women can participate in basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. Women also transferring from SCCC, can try a new option like fencing.
NYU also offers 26 club sports including badminton, crew, kendo, ice hockey, ultimate Frisbee, equestrian, racquetball, and water polo.
Crew also known as rowing is a sport in which athletes race each other in boats on different bodies of water using oars to propel themselves.
“I would absolutely recommend someone take up rowing, you make close friendships with your teammates because it takes a lot of teamwork to control the boat, it’s different and an amazing sport to play,” Dowling College Student and 8 year Crew Athlete, Odane Lewis said.
With all the things students have to worry about, lets make playing a sport not one of them. Whether you are continuing to play a sport you love, or wanting to find a new sport to play, choosing the right college for you can definitely make that decision easier. If you decide to play as a Seawolf, a Golden Lion, a Bobcat, or which ever other team, just make sure that the college and sport you decide is right for you.
By Melissa Kujawski
When facing the stresses of another day at Suffolk County Community College (SCCC), students and staff can agree that cultivating a balanced lifestyle with both equal amount of physical and mental health is a top priority for academics.
When several faculty interviewees were asked how students could cultivate a healthy lifestyle, they all stated that getting proper nutrition, staying hydrated, exercising several times a week and getting enough sleep were all a part of living a successful, healthy life.
Registered Nurse Supervisor Meryn Pilzer, who has been working for SCCC’s Eastern Campus just shy of 20 years, said “No processed foods and eat more fruits and veggies.” She also, added “Do everything in moderation. Life is a balance.”
When it comes to figuring out what works best for you, Associate Professor of Physical Education at SCCC since 1998, Arthur DelDuca, recommended “make time for yourself and plan out your day/week with proper meals and days and times for exercise.”
To reduce stress Dr. Claire Rubman, Associate Professor of Sociology shared “Don’t not work full time and take a full schedule of classes without realizing the commitment. Also, keep contact with your professors.”
Other thoughtful advice came from Dr. Amy Warenda Czura, Associate Professor of Biology, who added, “Minimize the vices: smoking, drinking, and partying.” These, although a part of the young and vivacious lifestyle, can lead to serious, life-long damaging effects if done ritually.
Keeping up with physical spirits – through proper diet and exercise – are some of the ways students can stay “afloat” in the midst of their busy college and work schedules. Usually these are among the first things recommended by professionals when speaking about the subject.
“They don’t just say ‘you are what you eat’ for nothing.” exclaims Tonianne Reid a 19-year-old SCCC student wishing to continue on to the college’s nursing program. She continued to say how the school offers few healthy choices to snack on or even have a full meal and that she does her best to pack food from home when she knows she will be on campus for several hours.
Staying active goes hand and hand with eating healthy and can produce optimal results. Noah Gorman, a 21- year- old business major at SCCC proudly stated, “I do cardio and weight training at least three times a week for an hour at Planet Fitness in Riverhead.”
However, keeping up one’s physical spirits can be impossible without high and positive mental spirits – which requires lowered stress levels and adequate amounts of sleep. These benefits can help drive students to feel more motivated to pursue their days and keep themselves well.
24-year-old liberal arts- biology student at SCCC Nicole Liebegott, who also strives to get into the college’s nursing program, does not hesitate to explain how she keeps her mental spirits intact. “Yoga, with lots of head stands and arm balances, and I write everyday on 750words.com.” Nicole added, “I think its great. There is something refreshing about being self-aware. You must let out what is bothering you through positive outlets.”
A good nights sleep is essential to most as it allows us to rest and revive our bodies for the next long day. “I need at least eight or nine hours of sleep a night; otherwise, I am un- attentive and lack motivation.”, Andrew Woebbler, a 20-year-old SCCC liberal arts major proclaimed.
Being a commuter student, one would think it would be easier to live a healthy life. However it may seem just as challenging as going away to school. The college life regardless can be stressful and busy. You have to find the time to get things done between several courses and possibly a part time job. You’ll be lucky if you can keep your eyes open in front of a computer at 11:30 PM after being up early at 6 AM or even eat a full, nutritious meal. And many times the college life has you surrounded by other unhealthy students and choices like the pressure to smoke or to choose between a cheeseburger or pizza in the cafe.
All of the faculty and students interviewed agreed that the college has some good options like gym classes and a salad bar, but needs too add more things to remind students that this matter should be taken seriously.
Many were happy to hear that the plans for a gym facility are underway and in the process of being constructed. Yet, Woebbler feels that more gym classes should be required towards graduation and that the college should add a football team.
Several of the interviewees suggested the school use their common hour to place some attention on physical and mental health awareness. Liebegott liked this idea, and added, “An awareness week is important. So is a highly visible and available personal counseling faculty.”
As much as the college can be a source of support and guidance, Pilzer repeated a quote she once heard on the radio: “If you want a helping hand, look no further than the end of your arm.”
By Andres Castro
“I hope there is a much better turnout next time. Doing shows like this spreads awareness for people that have been ostracized,” Journalism major and Drag Show competitor Jenni Culkin said.
The Gay Straight Alliance club of the Ammerman Campus put on their very own Drag show. A Drag show is where men and women dress up as the opposite sex and perform. Men who dress up as women and perform are known as Drag Queens and women who dress up as men and perform are known as Drag Kings.
Men dressing in drag has become very popular in the media and society, it could be due to the fact that there is a highly rated television show called “Rupaul’s Drag Race,” in which men compete on television to become America’s Next Drag Superstar. Women dressing up as men is not as popular as men dressing up as women but is growing throughout the bars and nightclubs.
The Drag Show was held on Monday, April 28th in the Montauk Point Room and was scheduled to start at 5:00 p.m. and end at 8:00 p.m.
“The main reason for throwing the Drag Show is because the club wanted to have a signature event that the club would be recognized for in the future. Since the drag community falls heavily under the LGBT community we thought why not throw a Drag Show,” GSA’s Secretary and Drag Show Host Kevin Hill said.
The Drag Show was a fundraiser and donations were being accepted at the door. All the money gathered from the event would go to the Long Island Association for AIDS Care, Inc.
Unfortunately all that showed up to the event was about eight people, so it can be assumed that there was not a huge donation amount.
“The event was funded by out of pocket, because no club/organization has an actual budget. Meaning all money for club events, not fundraising, have to be requested. We are forced to pay for the prizes out of pocket to support the event,” Hill said.
There were only two contestants that signed up to compete in the Drag Show. Johnathan Davis Kruger played by Kristy Kruger and Fantastic Frankie played by Jenni Culkin. The contestants were judged on originality, crowd pleasure, performance, and their answers.
The judges were Assistant Academic Chair and Associate Professor of English Leanna Warshauer and GSA representative Alex Algeri.
For the talent portion of the competition Johnathan Davis Kruger’s talent was putting on makeup without a mirror and Fantastic Frankie performed an original monologue based off of the movie “Frozen.”
For the question and answer portion of the Drag Show, both contestants were asked a few questions each. The first question was, “how did you come up with your drag name?”
“I choose Johnathan Davis because of the lead singer of the band “Korn. He is constantly getting kicked down and he is my inspiration to keep getting up,” Contestant Johnathan Davis Kruger said.
“I choose Fantastic Frankie because it sounded like Magic Mike and that movie was awesome,” Fanatic Frankie said.
The next question was, “Why did you decide to participate in the Drag Show?”
“I am actually transgender female to male. I want to be the voice of reason. I want to make a difference in the world, even if it’s a small drag show I believe it can make a huge difference,” Kruger said.
“Well it’s something I wanted to do for a very long time. It spreads awareness that doing drag is not crazy its self-expression. It’s hard to find places that I can get in and do drag shows,” Frankie said.
After the questions, the judges deliberated and they decided who would walk away with the title of Drag King. The winner of the first GSA Drag Show was Fantastic Frankie!
The prizes were a Truth or Dare card game, a $15 ITunes gift card, Dirty Minds on the Go card game, a $20 Visa gift card, Every Ticket is a Winner sex scratch card, and a $35 Visa gift card.
The two contestants split the prizes fairly and equally. That is a lot of great prizes to split between two people. It pays to participate.
“It was a small competition, but it was nice to win something like this. Guys clothing is more comfortable than girls clothing, so I won in comfort,” Frankie said.
“It could have been better, the campus doesn’t seem to make this club a priority like other clubs on campus. I think the school should do more things like this. They can open up the eyes of the public. This is a big part of the community, I know there is so many judgmental people and that really needs to stop,” Kruger said.
By Andres Castro
According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, around 100,000 police-reported crashes are the direct result of driver fatigue each year.
Sleep deprivation is a very important and growing public health issue, with lack of sleep linking to vehicle accidents, industrial errors, and medical and other occupational errors.
Ammerman campus’ Liberal Arts Major Victoria Ciresi got into a major car accident Feb. 22 at 6:15 a.m., when she fell asleep at the wheel.
After a night of fun celebrating her friend’s birthday, Ciresi got to her friend’s house in Brentwood at around 3:30 a.m. and fell asleep. At about 5:45 a.m. Ciresi woke up and decided to drive home to her house in Kings Park.
Ciresi was driving on Sunken Meadow Parkway when she fell asleep and hit the guard rail twice.
“I don’t remember much of what happened, I just remember smashing my head on the steering wheel and then the air bags. A lady was there she opened my door and she was talking to me. I got out of my car, I was hysterically crying, and then I just passed out,” Ciresi said.
Being deprived of sleep increases the risk of sleep related accidents. According to a study done by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, people who sleep six to seven hours a night are twice as likely to get in a car accident compared to those sleeping eight hours or more, while people sleeping less than five hours increase their risk four to five times.
“When a person is sleep deprived they can have difficulty concentrating, fatigue, irritability, a slower reaction time, and if without sleep for a prolonged period some people can experience paranoia and hallucinations, Assistant Academic Chair and Associate Professor of Psychology, Nelly Sta. Maria said.
Not only can being deprived of sleep put you in a dangerous situation such as an accident, it can also affect your health. According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, people who suffer from insufficient sleep are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, depression, and obesity, as well as from cancer, increased mortality, and a reduced quality of life and productivity.
“When I don’t sleep I get migraines really easily so if I’m driving I can get in an accident, also I get very cranky and less productive. I just don’t want to do stuff. The quality of my work suffers,” Former SCCC student Corrine Zeidler said.
“I really didn’t know that not getting enough sleep could affect you so negatively,” Business Major Julia Lasala said.
Car accidents that happen as a result of a fatigued driver can result in personal or economic loss. Such as injury, possible jail time, and financial settlements.
“I had really bad burns on my face, a fractured shoulder, a broken tooth, and my car was totaled. I had a concussion that lasted four days so I couldn’t remember anything. I didn’t know who my family or friends were or that I even had a job,” Ciresi said.
“It was scary seeing her like that. She is my best friend and to see what not getting enough sleep can do is crazy,” friend of Ciresi, Maria Primerano said.
“The accident also refrained me from going to school for four weeks. I had to drop out of four classes because my professors said there was no way I would catch up,” Ciresi said.
According to a poll that was taken, 8 out of 11 people said that being deprived of sleep had put them in a dangerous situation, 10 out of 10 people admitted that after knowingly feeling exhausted have gotten behind the wheel of a vehicle, and 5 out of 5 people said that the difference between getting enough sleep rather than little sleep is very significant, in ways that they are happier and have moreenergy to have a productive day.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that, The National Institutes of Health suggests that school-age children need at least ten hours of sleep daily, teens need nine to ten hours, and adults need seven to eight hours.
“People say the recommended amount of sleep is eight hours, but it is really individual. It really changes between age and life,” Sta. Maria said.
“As you sleep your body repairs itself and if you can’t sleep then you can’t recover. If you are sleepy one hour after you wake up then you are not getting enough sleep,” Sta. Maria said.
“I’ve learned a lot through this experience, it has made me appreciate everything even more because in a second it could be gone. I definitely think no one should drive while they are tired because it can put you in a rough situation. I don’t even text and drive anymore and I’m still hesitant to drive with other cars in heavy traffic. If I could go back I would have slept more,” Ciresi said.
By Andres Castro
We are always hearing the negative affects about cigarettes and yes they are totally a bad habit but now there is a growing trend with people doing hookah. Hookahs are water pipes that are used to smoke specially made flavored tobacco.
There are hookah lounges popping up everywhere in which people go to these bars drink, party, and smoke hookah. People probably do not realize that hookah is just as bad as or even worse than cigarettes. Hookah smokers probably believe since it is usually flavored that smoking hookah is less harmful.
According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, charcoal is used to heat up the tobacco used in hookahs and this charcoal can raise health risks by creating high levels of carbon monoxide, metals, and cancer-causing chemicals. The tobacco used in hookah contains toxic chemicals that increase the chance of some cancers. Hookah smokers are at the same health risk for diseases as cigarette smokers, which include oral cancer, lung cancer, and cancer of the esophagus, reduced lung function, and decreased fertility.
Smoking hookah is usually done in a group where each individual smokes from the same hookah using the same mouthpiece. Honestly, just that fact alone is skin crawling, to go to a bar where plenty of people have gone before and sit at this hookah and put this mouthpiece in your mouth and then pass it around the table with different individuals, even though they could be your friends, sounds unhygienic. Nobody knows where those other people’s mouths have been or whether not they could be sick or diseased.
It is no surprise that hookah use has become so popular among minors and college aged students. The use of hookahs by celebrities have popularized this negative behavior. Celebrities such as Drake, Kim Kardashian, Christina Milian, and Rihanna have all been photographed smoking hookah. Celebrities are truly the ones who have the say so to what’s popular and what’s not, and if the very impressionable youth see them doing something, most likely they are going to copy.
There are commercials on TV all the time showing smokers the negative affects of what smoking can do and how you can end up. Like having cancer, having to live with stoma, and what it can do to your teeth and skin. Watching these commercials, I believe it is geared toward cigarette smokers and maybe it should be geared to all types of smoking or maybe there should be a commercials speaking about the negative effects of smoking hookah.
Smoking hookah and smoking cigarettes both have negative effects on the body. Nicotine is the highly addictive drug found in tobacco products such as cigarettes and is found in the same tobacco that water pipes use.
According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, because of the way a hookah is used, hookah smokers may absorb more of the toxic substances that are also found in cigarette smoke. An hour-long hookah smoking session involves 200 puffs, while smoking an average cigarette involves 20 puffs. The amount of smoke inhaled during a typical hookah session is about 90,000 milliliters compared with 500–600 milliliters inhaled when smoking a cigarette.
These facts do make sense, when someone decides to smoke a cigarette, they go outside, smoke their cigarette, and when they are done, they continue doing what they were doing before. When it comes to smoking hookah, people usually sit around a hookah for long periods of time constantly taking puffs.
When it comes down to it smoking is something that should ultimately be avoided. Whether its cigarette smoking, smoking hookah, or any other types, the negative effects certainly outweigh the negative fun you maybe having while doing it. Smoking hookah can negatively affect you as much as cigarettes or even more. The next time you are out with friends and someone is trying to pass you that unhygienic mouthpiece, just say “no thank you,” and get up and get on the dance floor.
By Jim Ferchland
The Suffolk County Community College Clippers and the Bronx Community College Broncos faced off in a doubleheader on Saturday, May 3 at the Ammerman Campus. The Clippers were victorious the first game 10-5. SCCC entered the game with a record of 19-9 and BCC entered 9-20. It was a must-win for the Bronx because a victory punched their ticket in to the playoffs. It’s the last game of the season for both teams. If SCCC wins, they would play Queensborough in the playoffs, and if BCC wins, they would play SCCC again in the first round. The Clippers have been on an absolute tear winning 15 of their last 16. They finished the season remaining perfect on the road(11-0). Baseball podcast
Jorge Ruiz, parent of Clippers’ second basemen, Jorge Ruiz, explained the significance and dominance of this year’s team and what their goal is. “The team has had a lot of success this season”, Ruiz said. “We beat everybody here and we are hoping to get to Texas where the best teams play”.
Pitching for the Bronx was right-hander Lutty Santiago who pitched a complete game for the Broncos. He pitched all seven innings, allowed up five runs, gave up nine hits, struck out four, and had two walks. However, the Clippers’ bullpen was struggling giving up ten runs overall and utilizing three pitchers.
Pitching for the Clippers was starting right-hander Dillon Burke who really had truble facing the Broncos’ hot bats. He only pitched 1 and 2/3 innings, gave up seven hits, allowed six runs, and only struck out one batter. Substituted in the 2nd inning was left-handed Richard Motta, who pitched 2 and 2/3 innings, gave up three runs, struck out three, but had trouble getting the ball over the point and allowed four walks. The last pitcher to substitute for the Clippers’ was right-hander,Ryan Dollop, who completed the rest of the game and stopped the bleeding for SCCC. He struck out five, allowed three hits, and gave up one run.
Victor Leroux started the enormous run support for the Broncos in the second inning where they would score six runs. He hit a a two-run double over the center fielder’s(Travis George) head which gave the Broncos a 2-0 advantage. After Leroux, Franyi Santana hit an RBI single between thrid and short increasing the lead to 3-0. For more insurance runs, Broncos Daniel Rojas received a two run infield single on an error by Clippers second baseman, Jorge Ruiz, which stretched the deficit to 5-0. The final run in the inning was accredited by Jose Marte, who nailed the ball down the third base line receiving an RBI double as the Broncos concluded on a monster six run inning.
SCCC’s head coach, Glen Brown, was still confident in his team and he urged his team to get it together, by stating,”we are more than capable of coming back, we need to stop fooling around,” Brown exclaimed to his team in the middle half of the fourth inning.
It seemed to only get worse at the moment for the Clippers as they allowed three more runs in the top of the fourth which mostly came off of walks and a wild pitch by Richard Motta. Motta was pulled that inning and replaced by Ryan Dollop.
As SCCC was trailing 9-0 in the top of the 5th, Clippers scorekeeper and stat manager, Sam Egan, urged the team that they could get mercied. “This would probably be our worst loss of the season,” Egan said. We would hate to close out the season like this”.
In the bottom of the 5th, the Clippers bats began to heat up and rallied a five run inning. Clippers Tyler Bell, roped a 2-run double to right center which got the Clippers on the board 9-2. Next up bat, was pitcher Ryan Dollop who hit an infield single directed to second base. Dollop, then steals second which brought Bell to score which made it 9-3. Next at bat, was shortstop, Shawn Blasberg, who drove in Dollop on a bloop single to right field which made the score 9-4. To conclude to rally, catcher, Michael Hewson, hit a bloop single to center which drove in Blasberg to make the score 9-5.
The Broncos still had one run left in them as third basemen, Daniel Rojas, hit an RBI single to left and pushed the lead to 10-5. Clippers could not capitalize and make another big rally as the Suffolk County College Clippers fall short 10-5 to Bronx Community College Broncos.
Head Coach Glen Brown, addressed his team in the huddle in left field reminding them on how far they have come to get to this point, the playoffs. “We have come a long way”, Brown said after the game. Kudos to us. We started off the season 0-6 and finished 17-3 in our region. We finished the season 19-10. Im proud of my guys but kudos to the Bronx for playing a great game”.