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Features Page 4 October 1, 2002 ACC's Ray Fullfills Lifelong Dream: Walks Great Wall of China The Great Wall Of China Photo Courtesy Tom Ray KARENSCHUMAN Staff Writer Tom Ray, an English instructor at ACC, had the opportunity this summer to fulfill one of his lifelong dreams. He has dreamed of walking the Great Wall of China ever since he was a child. Ray says that as a child he remembers Nixon visiting China for the first time and opening relations between our two countries. Since then, it has been his dream to walk the Great Wall. Over the summer, Ray taught in China and took time to walk along the Great Wall. According to Ray, it took four.hours to climb one stretch of the wall which ran up the side of a mountain. It was a difficult walk and some of the group he went with didn't even make it to the top. About halfway to the top there was a large, free-standing slab into which was chiseled a quote from Mao Tse Tung, a prominent leader of China. The quote said "You are not a man unti'l you ' ve climbed the Great Wall." Ray can now say that he's made that climb. About the wall itself, Ray says that it is extraordinary. It is the largest thing ever built entirely by human hands. It was constructed by human workers carrying two and three hundred pound granite blocks up and down the sides of mountains. The Great Wall ranges over 2,000 miles and is 20 to 40 feet high and 15 to 20 feet thick. At one time, it was the only man made structure able to be seen from space. It now shares that title with a garbage dump in New Jersey. The Great Wall is a marvel of human ingenuity, and Tom Ray is thrilled that he has finally fulfilled his dream of climbing it. ACC Nursing Program Turns -30 Traffic Stop Survival Guide RONLANCEWICZ Staff Writer Thirty years ago ACC started their nursing program because of the demand for nurses in the area; the demand is still present. Judy Beyer, an instructor in the nursing program at ACC, has been . here since the beginning and she mentions that graduates , from the nursing program do not have any problems finding work. As a result of this, students from the surrounding areas such as Tawas, Oscoda, Cheboygan and Detroit have enrolled in the program. In addition, Beyer mentions that the difficulty of the course thirty years ago hasn't changed much from the present except for the increase in technology to keep up with the changing times. Specifically, because of this increase there are many different avenues of the nursing profession that students can pursue after graduation. These include Dialysis units, Little MACKENZIE HOULE Staff Writer Take ten minutes to get ready to go out. Pay two dollars for gas. Buy two hot dogs and two small Cokes for five bucks. Spend an hour at the park with a child, priceless. The Big Brothers Big Sisters program offers you the opportunity to serve not only as a mentor, but also as a friend to a young child. One popular option is to be a part of the Lunch emergency rooms, and physician's offices to name a few. Back when the program was just getting started, Beyer went to ACC to enroll in the program. She was told of an opening for an instructor, applied for it, and has been teaching there ever since. Although Beyer already was a nurse through the 3-year diploma program, she wanted to return c;1nd get her degree. In the beginning, for the first 11 years of the program only Licensed Practical Nurse Diplomas were offered and other degrees were offered later. ACC currently offers either a 1-Year Licensed Practical Nurse, a 2-year associates in registered nursing, or a 4 year bachelors in Registered Nursing. Furthermore, to better understand if the nursing program is for you, Alpena High School has offered a job-shadowing program for the last 6 years. Sandy Flythe has been the coordinator there for the last 4 years and pointed out that the program is open to almost all students at Alpena high but 1s discouraged with the freshmen in general because of the maturity level. Every other grade is welcomed, though, and students can sign up for specific shadowing positions like pharmacy, surgery, nursing, or respiratory therapy. Flythe recalls that last year 400 students from · AlpenaHighwentthrou the program and were v ry appreciative ofit but l e request for nursing s b n dwindling. "I think the n bers are down because stud nts are seekingjobs with better pay, hours, and a cleaner work environment," said Flythe. She adds, "The nursing program is glamorized on TV and because of this students enroll in the job- shadowing program and find out it is not what they expected. It takes a special person to be a nurse d this program is there to h lp you make that decision. " Finally, Ma ianne Modrzynski, a f rmer graduate with a associ e RN from the ACC pro~ram Moments; Big Buddy program. You and your "little" meet once a week for approximately 40 minutes. As a mentor you are asked to build a trusting relationship that offers the child support and the chance for a better future. Other programs include the Couples Program where a child can enjoy a family atmosphere . Or perhaps, you feel you cannot commit to meet with a child as often. In that case you could volunteer in the Group Program in which you meet as a group for three or more events. And of course there is the Traditional Match Program for adults who vow to have contact once a week throughout the course of the year. So whether you have an abundance of time or can only manage a few hours a month, the point is that the Big Brothers Big Sisters program is flexible enough for anyone's schedule. All that I ask of you is to give yourself a chance. I personally have met].tored children through the program .............. __ ............. " ' ... talked about becoming a nurse ever since she was in third grade. After getting married, having children, and having to move away from the area to pursue her dream, it was out of the question. She found out about the program at ACC and because of the convenience among other things, she enrolled. As a result, Modrzynski went right to work in a variety of fields including home health care, a physician's office, a nurse manager in a nursing facility, and in a dialysis unit. She recalls how tough it was going through the program, and suggests that new students should hang in there and find a mentor that is in the nursing field to talk to and get the assurance that they need. "Juggling a family and a part time job while going through the program was really hard for me, but I have absolutely no regrets," Modrzynski recalls. If anyone 1s interested in the nursing program at A CC they can call the main office at 356-9021 and ask for Judy Beyer at extension 7332. Magic and found it to be a life enhancing experience. You too can enjoy the experience of knowing what a difference you are making in one child's life. If you find yourself interested and looking for more information, all you have to do is call the Big Brothers Big Sisters office in Alpena at 354-3344. Also, clear your calendar for Thursday, October 10th where there will be a meeting held at the Lumberjack Shack at 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. TREVOR BULLOCK Staff Writer Flashing lights in the rear view mirror are nothing unfamiliar to most people in today's society. It's not hard to make mistakes driving if. not paying complete attention. Naturally, therearemany "do's" and "don'ts" to take into consideration when being pulled over by a police qfficer. Michael Roy, director of the Criminal Justice program for the last 14 years at ACC, was an Alpena city police officer for 15 years. During his years with the department, Roy has made many traffic stops and knows the correct process from both ends of the procedure. The first information a police officer will ask for in during a traffic stop is the driver's license, registration, and proof of insurance. According to Roy, the driver should wait for the officer to be present at the vehicle and to ask for the information before reaching for the glove box. Roy said that officers are concerned with their safety when approaching a vehicle because in most cases they do not know the person they are approaching. Quick motions and movements may indicate, to the officer, that you are reaching for a weapon or hiding contraband, so avoid suspicious motions. The officer doesn't know if you 're a college student or someone who has just taken part in criminal activity. "An officer may choose to give you a break, and ifhe does, that's exactly what it .... ...................... .......... .... .... _______ ___ , ...._...,__ . ........... ........ .. is, a break," said Roy. "But ifbreaking the law, expect to get a ticket." Certainly, getting an attitude and arguing with a police officer is a mistake. Responding to an officer's questions politely and being respectful will help the situation run smoother. Roy believes that some people take traffic stops personal and need to remember that the officer is just doing their job. "All traffic enforcement is an attempt to stop needless death. and injury that is happening on our highways," said Roy. When an officer wants to search a vehicle, there are certain rights they do and don't have. For an officer to search a vehicle, they must have probable cause such as someone in the car making suspicious movements or the smell if alcohol. If the officer thinks that there is something in the car that is a threat to them, they have the right to ask everyone to exit the vehicle for safety. If the officer makes an arrest for an open bottle of alcohol, he then may proceed to search the entire vehicle. On a drunk driving arrest, the officer may impound the vehicle, and then search it. This is also to protect the driver. When the vehicle is searched, the officer will take note of valuables to make sure that they are still there when the driver gets the vehicle back. So if there are flashing lights in your rear view mirror, remember to stay calm, polite, and realize it is just a routine stop.