Despite changing industry, jobs are out there and WCC has programs to get you there
While some may think that manufacturing in Michigan is dead, Mark Sturtevant believes that his training in automation technology is going to get him a job. He attends classes in the building around campus that many students aren’t even aware exists, the Industrial Technology building. It is filled with much of the machinery used in the industry. “I started full-time this semester,” said Sturtevant, 39, from Addison. “I believe I will get a job out of this, and I really enjoy the robotics. When I looked around at other schools before I came here, I saw that this school was teaching what’s going on in the real world.” According to Ross Gordon, the interim dean of Vocational Technology, many companies are looking to fill positions in the manufacturing industry. The companies often struggle to find enough skilled workers to fill these openings. Some companies even hire workers and then train them through Washtenaw Community College. Detroit resident, Andre Wallace, 21, a welding major, hasn’t been able to find steady full-time work. With a recent grant class provided by Washtenaw Community College, he is able to have a 100 percent guarantee that even before completion of this welding and computer numerical course, he’ll be able to start working immediately. “It’s been difficult due to a lot of high-paying work being seasonal,” he said. “I look at this course and it being paid for as a blessing and it gives me hope that I can find a career in Michigan without leaving my family.” With professional equipment like towering robots and hydraulic machinery, these are daunting programs to enter. While learning to use this equipment isn’t easy, there are jobs in the field, which is much better than unemployment, according to Gordon. Expertise in hydraulics could be used to test products, such as car doors. While a person couldn’t slam a truck’s door precisely the same way every time, hydraulics could be used to do so. Even though there are many jobs available in these fields, there aren’t a lot of students in the corresponding programs. “It’s very much a high-demand job right now,” said Jim Popovich, a vocational technology instructor. “It’s hard to find people with these skills. It’s not a very big program. Some people are convinced that there are no longer jobs making things anymore.” With only about 138 students enrolled across several of the main manufacturing disciplines, four sections of classes ended up being canceled due to low enrollment this semester. This is bad for the programs, because according to Gordon, they are cautious when scheduling classes by putting up only the ones they think will succeed. “People believe manufacturing is dead, and that’s just not true,” Gordon said. “Industry is d esperately calling out to us, telling us they need qualified employees.” While the manufacturing game has changed, there are new positions that need to be filled. Within the robotics discipline, people are needed to program and maintain the robots in order to keep them performing the correct tasks. Instead of picking up heavy pieces of metal and putting them onto a conveyer belt, a robot can now be automated to do so. These programs are always being updated so that they stay current with the industry practices, Gordon said. There is even a program that offers some training in most of the fields known as Manufacturing and Industrial Computing, allowing students to take classes in robotics, fluid power, numerical control and machine tool technology. This means that students will have training in all of the major disciplines of the field, and become that much more employable. Gordon thinks that while parents may urge children to take a more academic path in college, students should remember that when choosing this field they are more likely to get a job. Welding and fabrication major Ben Gerber, 21, of Dexter, sees a lot of jobs he can get as a welder, so taking advantage of resources that WCC provides is essential to him. “I decided that taking more advanced classes would make my resume look even better,” he said. “Education like this is where the jobs are at. This course has a lot of pressure to make deadlines but when I’m done, I know I’ll have a job. And I’m very grateful that this course is paid for – and so are my parents. I’m already getting calls for jobs, and I’m not done with the class.”
After making it up the steps and veering off into the small room just outside a maze of cubicles where a woman punched at the keys on her computer, Jeff L. had his head in hand, wondering if this would be the place he would finally get housing and make it through recovery. The man had fallen on hard times and had been homeless for 15 months. He waved with his hands and explained the frustration he had with other organizations trying to get the help that he needed just to find a place to live. He was a young man wearing fairly trendy clothing, but he appeared disheveled. He hadn’t shaved in some time and he seemed nervous as he fidgeted in the plastic chair in the small office. Seeing those people on the side of the road talking to themselves or seeing something that the rest of the world doesn’t makes people nervous. Those who are mentally ill have a more difficult time reaching out for help on their own, and many find it hard to trust those who have dealt with substance abuse. For the man dealing with recovery from substance abuse, hunched over in the chair in the corner of the office room, finding help from government agencies hasn’t been easy. “It’s not easy, I’ve been trying to get a state ID,” Jeff began. “I’m here for recovery. I’ve been homeless since Aug.1 of last year. Resources in Ann Arbor have been no help.” He was at the Homeless Project Outreach Team (PORT) in Ann Arbor, an organization that helps the mentally ill and homeless to get housing and other services they need such as case management and medication management. It provides ongoing psychiatric services to those who are mentally ill and involved in the justice system as well. The building is located in a large group of office buildings on 110 N. Fourth Street, and those who desperately need their help can drop in and get started. The supervisor for the homeless PORT, John Loring, explained that this program works through many channels and other agencies to get the mentally ill and chronically homeless the help they need. They work with other programs such as the Department of Human Services and the Department of Mental Health. “I work supervising the H-PORT team. We have two teams. J-PORT offers jail diversion,” Loring began. “PORT started in 2000; I’ve been working here ever since.” PORT has helped Jana get to a place in her life where she is now able to give back to her community that once helped to bring her back from the brink. One in need of their services, she shook her head and described some of the problems she worked through. Her fingers moved across the keyboard and she laughed with other workers who came in and out of the little room. Now she volunteers at PORT, she helps these people reach out to the numbers of homeless in Ann Arbor that suffer from the same problems she once did. “There’s a heavy caseload. People are invited to come in as needed, but it’s better to make an appointment,” Jana explained. “The services are for people who have mental illnesses or are homeless. They even helped me find housing.” For the people who make it up the steps and follow the signs to the first door on the right, finding themselves with somebody like Jana who has been in their situation is a way to make them feel more comfortable. PORT has the approach of positive engagement to help people in their own personal situations. Those who need help can find pamphlets that give information about many other places that offer help for those who homeless. The “Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Street Survival Guide” offers information about places that offer employment assistance, financial assistance, medical care, food assistance, transportation and other places that the homeless can turn to for help. It also offers information about what types of rights and privacy the mentally have in their offices, and pricing information as well. The Justice PORT offers assistance to those who are both mentally ill and have been involved with the justice system. It uses a sequential intercept model to help these people, which gives these people the opportunity to be engaged and treated. The Project Outreach website also includes lists of services for those who are homeless or low income. “I supervise the team helping those who are chronically homeless, we offer them engagement,” Loring explained. “We offer them engagement, we work on housing, we offer psychiatric services and substance abuse counseling. We try to get people into the long term programs.” For Jeff L., back in that room, sitting in that corner chair, wondering if he’s going to make it through with this agency, getting that counseling and making it through recovery is something that PORT strives to make happen.
The pop queen Britney Spears hasn’t been doing anything new lately. She is even rereleasing albums with a few new songs instead of recording a whole new record. Her latest album, “Femme Fatale,” isn’t terrible, but it seems like every song fades into the next. Only a few of these songs, particularly the ones with guest artists, offer a twist. Britney doesn’t always get it right, but she attempts to fuse her style with other genres. “Big Fat Bass,” featuring Will.i.am, offers some rap. She also did a song with Sabi, “(Drop Dead) Beautiful,” that has a very new sound as well. It’s nice that she stepped a little bit outside her comfort zone when she did this song. However, this particular song isn’t great. While many of the tracks on the album were released over the summer, the deluxe edition of the album, featuring several new tracks, hit shelves recently. With songs like “’Till the World Ends” and “I Wanna Go,” most of this recording has the same sound Spears has made for years. For much of this album, the beats were catchy and the lyrics were cute, but it was still the same thing Spears has been doing her entire career. The new single “Criminal” is something different. Instead of only a beat and her singing, there is guitar and drums in the mix. It’s a different sound fused with her usual style. The music video is also very unique. It’s a story about Spears meeting a criminal, falling in love with him and then becoming one herself. It’s good to hear something a little bit new from Spears, as sometimes her songs can get monotonous. While many of these songs have been played endlessly on the radio, some of the less popular are the best. “How I Roll” is one of the songs that has a slightly different sound, but that makes it better. It’s a fast song for the most part, but the chorus really changes pace. Those who love Spears may enjoy the album, but the repetition of similar sounds gets boring. Don’t go for the whole album, just buy one or two songs.
 Stephanie, 8, left, and her sister Kayli Mathers, 5, of Midland, stop to talk to Don Rekeweg, center, of Woodburn, Indiana, while shopping at Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, October 16, 2009 in Frankenmuth, Michigan. (Rashaun Rucker/Detroit Free Press/MCT) Taking a day trip to Frankenmuth is one of the more iconic things to do in Michigan – especially around Christmas.
Among the more common activities there are having a chicken dinner at Zehnder’s, hiking through Bronner’s, the world’s largest Christmas store and taking a horse-drawn carriage ride through a town that would be right at home in the Bavarian Alps.
Those who want to get a chicken dinner without paying the hefty price of the dining halls can go downstairs to the Zehnder’s basement for a cheaper, cafeteria-style meal. There isn’t the same variety of food options as are available upstairs, but it comes at a lower price. During the holidays, it can be a long wait to get into the dining halls.
In the basement there are fewer lines and they move faster. Once customers have gorged on a more reasonably priced dinner, they can pop over to the bakery, located only a few feet away. It offers confections like pies, huge doughnuts, cakes and chocolates. Also, the Zehnder’s costumed chicken will come by occasionally to take pictures with the children.
Right next to Bronner’s, on the side of the parking lot, is a smaller attraction – the Silent Night Chapel – that focuses on one of the most famous Christmas songs.
“It’s a replica of the Silent Night Memorial Chapel in Olbendorf, Austria, which is near Salzburg,” said Cindy Baxter, a salesroom manager at Bronner. “It’s construction began in 1992, and it was dedicated on Nov. 20, 1992. It’s an exact replica.”
Staying the night at one of the hotels is less focused around Christmas, but the Bavarian Inn has a lot to offer for the kids. There is an arcade, which doubles as an official video game testing center. Also within the hotel are pools, a miniature golf course, shopping and plenty of places to eat.
One of the hidden gems in Frankenmuth is the Crepe shop in the River Place Shops, known as La Crepe du Jour. The River Place Shops are great too. The Mirror Maze is a good place for parents to let their children play while they get their crepes.
“La Crepe du Jour is an authentic Parisian-style Creperie serving both sweet and savory crepes,” said Renee Crimmins, shop owner.
Since many people bring their children, toy stores are a great find in Frankenmuth. The Frankenmuth Hobby Center on Main Street offers toys and model airplanes, cars and helicopters. It’s fun for the whole family to look through, and it can be a good place to go shopping for holiday gifts.
Frankenmuth is located about 77 miles directly north of Ann Arbor. It’s worth the drive for the day or relaxing weekend with friends and family.
It’s hard for James O’Connell to study for his classes on campus because he has attention deficit disorder (ADD).
With the loud noises from laughing students and music playing on laptops, it’s easy for the 20-year-old undecided major from Plymouth to get distracted. However, by using specific strategies he doesn’t let this keep him from doing well in school.
“It’s like every noise is a distraction,” O’Connell said. “I need almost no noise and no movements.”
Having ADD or ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) can add extra pressure on students studying for finals. Every case is unique, and people can explore what makes it easiest for them to retain information. Some students need white noise in the background to concentrate, and others need complete silence.
Sometimes students acknowledge that having ADHD means that they just aren’t able to focus as long as they’d like. Acknowledging this about themselves lets them take the time that they need to learn the information.
“When I’m studying, I have to play something else,” said Leeandra Hardesty, 19, culinary arts major from Ann Arbor. “So my attention stays on my computer. After a while, I have to stop because I get bored or too tired. I get good grades. It’s all about finding what helps you study.”
While the Learning Support Center doesn’t test for these disorders, it is happy to help accommodate students who have a documented problem. Debra Urquhart, a learning disability evaluator for Learning Support Services and psychologist, is glad that sometimes it can offer students a quiet place to take tests or more time on tests. Students requesting this kind of assistant can get a form to take to their doctors.
According Urquhart, once students have reached college they have often discovered the methods that allow them study best. However, there are always new solutions that students can find to optimize their studying habits.
“You have to figure out what works for you,” Urquhart said. “Some people find that doing a little bit every day helps if they have difficulty with short-term memory.”
Urquhart also pointed out that there are a multitude of new possibilities with technology. This wasn’t always an option for students before. Now they can record lectures, use apps that help them study and use their phone to help keep track of homework.
There are apps for iPads, programs for computers and smart pens that can help students study. While some of them can be expensive, a lot of them are cheap and can be a big help to students. Deborah Welch, a testing special assistant, helps students with technology as well.
“Dragon will take your audio voice and change it into text,” Welch said. “However, there is a program built into Windows 7 called Speech Recognition. Dragon is better, but Speech Recognition is free.”
These are all great for studying, but some students have trouble coming up with what they want to write about in English classes. Mind mapping offers students with difficulty thinking up essays a way to create an outline. Starting with one central idea, the program can create a spreadsheet with bubbles that can be linked and then organized into a more formal outline. XMind is a free version of this software that can be downloaded onto a computer.
Another serious issue for people with ADHD and ADD is organizing. Staying focused and on task on an ongoing basis isn’t easy for everybody, but it’s even more difficult for people with these disorders. Welch said that there are several free apps for phones and iPads that will help students to keep themselves on track. Some people are more comfortable using planners, but it can be helpful when the device gives reminders.
Welch suggests looking through apps for ones that help students stay organized. They exist for many devices, and they can be a huge help with keeping students organized. All-in-one apps will synchronize notes with recorders and work much like a smart pen. Todo is an app from the Apple Store that encompasses many areas of staying organized, including synchronizing with the online service they offer and ways to label tasks as recurring or put tasks in lists.
Also, she says that some who have trouble focusing may have better luck when they have white noise in the background. Some like having the TV blasting, and others prefer listening to music. She also said that some students can use this to their advantage and may be able to better multitask than those who don’t suffer from disorders.
“I listen to music all the time,” said Carolyn Prince, 18, a computer networking major from Howell. “It helps me focus when I’m tuned to the music. I’ve noticed it helps me concentrate longer on studying.”
For Gertrude Daly, Washtenaw Technical Middle College is the place that she believes is going to allow her to achieve all of her dreams.
She reclined in her seat up in the WTMC office in TI 214 and smiled as she explained how WTMC gave her the edge to do anything she wanted to, and how her experience at the school was going to help her achieve her dream of becoming a millionaire.
“WTMC is a high school program for high schoolers to get college credit,” said Daly, an 18-year-old liberal arts student from Plymouth. “We want to do something with our lives. Getting an associate’s degree puts us on another level.”
Jared Angle The Washtenaw Voice
WTMC administrative assistant Pat Sahakian, third from left, and guidance counselor Tamika Riley, fourth from left, with WTMC students on the second floor of the TI building.
However, many students around campus have a fuzzy understanding of what this school does. Some aren’t even aware that lurking within many of their classes are much younger students who are still high school sophomores, juniors and seniors.
While they are the same age as many of the dual-enrolled students, there is a difference. WTMC students don’t have to take high school classes during their entire time here, often only during their first semester. The other dual-enrolled students attend local high schools.
“Some come here because it is a more mature environment,” said Karl Covert, dean of WTMC. “Some come because they want credit. Students always tell me when they leave how happy they are to have gone through this.”
The program is becoming well-known in the community, according to Covert. Last year the program had 250 applicants for the 140 slots that were available. WTMC had a graduation rate of 97 percent last year, and 85 percent of its students go on to higher education. Another 10 percent stay at WCC or go onto another two-year institution, according to school officials.
In order to apply for WTMC, a charter school, students must have first taken at least one year of high school. During the first semester at WTMC, students take a semester of their high school classes as a way to prove that they have the maturity and academic skill to succeed in college classes. After their first year of the program, most of these students are enrolled full-time at WCC. The school is gaining attention with more applicants than ever before.
Although these students are younger than most WCC students, many think that they still fit in fine.
“I think that it’s a 50-50 thing. Not everybody loves us and not everybody hates us,” said Robert Hays, 16, a broadcasting arts student from Saline and WTMC student. “People shouldn’t choose to hate us just because we’re WTMC students.”
However, it is often difficult to tell if students are in WTMC. The secretary at WTMC, Patricia Sakahian, thinks that students don’t stand out at all. “We just blend in so well people think we’re college students,” Sahakian said.
It takes a dedicated student to go from spending a long day in the halls of Saline High School to sitting through another class at Washtenaw Community College. But Seth Heren gave it a try after a friend did the same.
Heren, 17, enrolled in a psychology course at WCC on top of all his high school classes, says he really enjoys it.
“I’m only taking one college class this semester,” he said. “It’s way better than high school. It’s only like two days a week.”
There are students like Heren on campus who only take one or two classes and spend their days at an area high school. There are also those who attend Washtenaw Technical Middle College. However, WTMC students don’t go to a local high school. They take high school classes located at WCC their first semester, then are eligible to enroll full-time at the college.
With permission from their school administrators, students at local high schools who are in at least the 10th grade can take credit courses here. They need to go through online and face-to-face orientations with officials at WCC, as well as taking some assessments to prove that they have sufficient reading and writing skills. Those students who have taken the ACT and the SAT must also submit those scores as well.
“I had a friend who dual-enrolled,” Heren said. “My mom said I should look into it. It was a lot of paperwork, but I did it. My school pays for it.”
Some students are aware that there is more than one type of high school student on campus, but those who know are generally supportive of their presence on campus. In fact, some students say that they had no idea many of these students were even high school students.
“I think they do belong here. I usually can’t tell they’re high school students,” said Hannah Stadelman, 18, an undecided major from Ann Arbor.
There are probably more dual enrolled students than regular college students think. According to Courtney Sommerfeld, the enrollment services coordinator, there are usually several hundred dual enrolled students around campus during the year.
Students who are interested in taking a college class should talk with their school officials and contact the WCC counseling department.
It isn’t for every high school student, and it is the choice of each school whether or not these classes will count toward high school credit. High school students who take skill classes can get a head start on the programs they want to take in the future. The classes they take in their high school can be articulated and transfer to WCC.
Audrey Bell had some difficulties during one semester when she wanted to take a radiology class, but soon discovered that only one section was offered – on Saturday mornings.
The timing made it difficult for her to get to class, and she really wished the college schedulers could ease the way a bit.
“Some classes are only offered in the springtime or only in the Fall,” said Bell, 21, a health care student from Ann Arbor. “It’s really frustrating when I want to go full-time. It’s also annoying when classes are only offered on the weekend. What if you have to work?”
Vice President for Instruction Stuart Blacklaw, agrees that there are times that students may have a hard time getting the classes they need. He emphasized the importance of laying out all of the classes that will be needed for the entire program, instead of just waiting to schedule classes at the last minute.
“We try to encourage people to see an adviser and talk to people,” Blacklaw said. “Best case scenario is you write out your entire academic plan.”
Blacklaw also understands that when there is only one section of a required course offered, it is more likely to conflict with students’ work schedules. He also sees some problems with classes that are canceled due to low enrollment, and there are several ways that Blacklaw said students can deal with it.
Sometimes the classes will just run with fewer students or students who just can’t get it and are planning on transferring can take it at another institution. However, the college tries to focus on accommodating students who are here now, according to Blacklaw.
Other students worry about getting the classes they need and working at the same time. Ariana Boland wonders if she’ll have to quit her job in order to have the time to take one of the classes she needs.
“There is a math class that I would have taken if it wasn’t only offered in the middle of the day on Tuesdays,” said Boland, 24, a liberal arts student from Ann Arbor. “I’m working, but I wanted to get it out of the way in the Winter. Hopefully it’s offered at a different time next year.”
There are times when classes will run with so few students that instructors have to be paid per student. Students who are having issues getting classes they really need can talk to counselors and find out what they can do. Some classes are also offered online.
The vegan diet – it’s not all about PETA
Just to clear the air – I hate PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).
PETA is just like a Jehovah’s Witness coming to your door on your day off. It’s disrupting, disturbing and just plain annoying.
My motivation to be a vegan is not just about the perception of animal cruelty. I also want to know where my food is sourced.
More than half of all antibiotics produced in the United States each year are given to farm animals, resulting in antibiotic resistance in the humans who eat them.
And for craps and giggles, here’s a list of chemicals in meat, poultry, seafood and dairy commonly found in factory farmed meat: benzene hexachloride (BHC), chlordane, dieldrin, dioxin… It’s safe to say, if you can’t pronounce it perhaps you shouldn’t eat it!
Initially, yes, I was motivated toward veganism by animal cruelty issues. In many ways, I still am.
To shed some light on that: Did you know that at factory farms, egg-laying hens are stockpiled into cages? Most of the time, the cage is designed to hold one hen, but frequently four are crammed in. This treatment forces the hen to become defensive, so the farmer responds by cutting off the beak of the hen.
Don’t forget about the antibiotics and hormones as well. Hens are pumped full of them to produce more eggs. And all the science indicates we are what we eat.
Let’s not forget about cattle. Forced into pens that are so small, they can’t lie down or turn around comfortably. The cattle are forced to stand in their own feces and urine, and farm workers dose them with more antibiotics to decrease infection. Yum.
The point: Do your homework before you criticize people about their eating habits.
And one more thing: I saw a vast change in my palate, my weight and general health when I changed my diet. Being a vegan is not the only way to be healthy, but questioning where your food is produced is, or should be, essential to a long and healthy life.
Eating meat isn’t going to kill you
As a former vegetarian, I’ve found that eating meat is essential to my diet.
After close to a year without eating any meat, I got sick, and I was tired all the time.
I was sleeping through my classes. I found out I had mononucleosis, and I wound up in the hospital. While it
is hard to tell if the lack of eating meat contributed significantly to my illness, I did start feeling a lot better when I began eating meat again.
Not long ago, I watched a documentary called “Fat Head,” about how eating fat, particularly from meat, was healthy. One of the facts listed on the documentary’s website is that there has never been a study that proved that saturated fat causes heart disease. Many people who have heart attacks have normal cholesterol.
It also cites studies that have shown that children have been treated for attention deficit disorder (ADD) with the introduction of fats from meat in their diets, and epileptics have been treated as well.
I agree that meat probably has some additives that aren’t great. However, I don’t think that means that I should throw away the benefits that can be gained from including it in my diet. Recently, the ‘cave man diet’ has risen in popularity. This involves eating almost exclusively meat, in the way that hunter-gatherers have in the past.
“Fat Head” contests the idea that vegetarians are healthier, that people as a society have only become agrarian in the more modern era. It is a common perception that vegetarians have a longer life span than those who eat meat, but this is not something that has been conclusively shown. As a matter of fact, there are several studies that have shown eating meat can lengthen life.
Yes, there may be some bad additives in meat, but those additives are in many products Americans consume every day.
Take it from me because I’m living proof: The health benefits of a meaty diet outweigh the risks.
Despite having almost lost their voices in the last week, Dillon Brown and Jay Lee still rocked the stage at Washtenaw Community College’s Talent Show. Although their rap performance didn’t win, they still loved the response that they got from the audience.
At first the pair wasn’t sure if they would be able to perform, because they didn’t know about the auditions in time. Lee, 24, a music and audio engineering student from Ann Arbor, asked to audition late and was able to perform among the 23 acts in the Nov. 17 show.
“I’ve been waiting for this for weeks, I’m really excited,” Lee said.
Brown, a Cass Technical High School student from Detroit, was just worried about his voice.
“I was really nervous at first, because my voice wasn’t 100 percent,” Brown said. “But I gave it my everything, and the crowd was really receptive.”
The Towsley Auditorium in the ML building was filled with spectators at the Talent Show that started at 6 p.m. Despite being late on a Thursday night, the audience stayed until the show ended at around 9:30 p.m., keeping their cheering and excitement all the way through to the last act of the night. WCC President Rose Bellanca, one of the judges, said that she loved the performances and the students were fabulous. Another judge was Princeton Dudley, a WCC graduate who has gone on to work with companies such as Speedway Gas Stations and Universal Music Group.
“This is my third year judging. I actually came back from California last year to judge,” Dudley said. “This is where I got my start. Rachel Barsch opened up the door for me. There was a jazz band last year that was amazing. There was a metal band that played here last time; they were some of the most talented musicians I’ve met.”
The winner was Delphine Abraham for singing, along with her nieces, “Neither One of Us” by Gladys Knight & The Pips. This was Abraham’s last year at WCC, but she was happy to perform and support the school again. She finished third in last year’s competition.
Dominique Mathews came in second place for her recital of original poetry, and Morgan Foreman came in third place for her modern dance performance.
There were acts such as pieces played on piano and drums, dancing and singing. Dance groups, Patchwerk and Maverick Crew performed.
“I liked it when I was in the middle,” said Bernard William, 21, a graphic design student and Maverick Crew dancer from Ann Arbor. “I was in the spotlight.”
The audience enjoyed cheering on its favorite acts.
“It’s really fun. I saw Nicole Barley in the Talent Show, she was here again from last year,” said Lena Harbali, 17, a secondary education student from Ann Arbor. “My favorite act was the poet.”
One girl both danced with a dance crew and performed a song she wrote and played on the guitar. Kate Sizemore, 21, a liberal arts student from Saline, has watched the talent show for several years before she got involved with it.
“I prefer dancing. For me, dancing is my passion,” Sizemore said. “I’m involved with two dance crews, but I only danced with one. This show was really great; the last few years have been amazing.”
According to Rachel Barsch, Student Activities events coordinator, it took a lot of work to get the show going, but in the end, it came together well. She also said that the event was supposed to last three hours, but it had ended up going over.
“It took hours, probably close to 50 hours of work,” said Barsch. “I think it was a success, it’s my favorite event of the year.”
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WTMC is a high school program for high schoolers to get college credit, we want to do something with our lives. Getting an associate’s degree puts us on another level.
Gertrude Daly
