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4 ¢ ,µµ 4 41 OSY>JSJS Features Page 4 April 1, 2003 McLaren's Innovative Teaching Will be Missed by Students CONNIE IRLAND Staff Writer Ivan McLaren is retiring after 34 years as an instructor at ACC. His innovative teaching style has been a great asset to both his students and the college. Ivan started his career as a diesel mechanic for Michigan Cat, and was with them when they moved to Novi. In 1964 he went to GM where he got his journeyman's card in the tool and die trade. In 1969 he took the job as an instructor atACC, a job he has enjoyed a great deal, even though it meant a substantial reduction in pay. Ivan said students who have previously done poorly in math, generally excel in his Machinist's Math. They often find it easier to learn because they know how and why they will use it. He has found th~t students often excel where they have done poorly in the past when they understand how they will use what they are learning. Former student ·Clay Ludwig said Ivan always kept the class interesting enough that you didn't know you were learning. Ivan has helpedACC stay current and competitive. When Computer Numeric Control was new to the field the company dropped off the new machine and Ivan proceeded to figure out the machine. As it turned out, I van learned things about the new machine that even the company who made it was unaware of. Ivan then taught what he had learned to his students. ACC was able to keep up with the advancing technology because oflvan's initiative. It is because of him that ACC has such a well established program, said Jeff Monroe, ACC instructor and a former student oflvan's. He has a way with students. He is both encouraging and personable. Ivan's style of teaching makes it easy for his students to learn. Ivan also is involved in sports. He managed the Alpena Softball League for 25 years. He has coached and played on the staff softball team. During his retirement I van plans to pursue his new appreciation for golf, and spend some time hunting and fishing as well. If in time he feels the urge to return to work, he has a standing invitation from GM to fall back·on. . Photo by Sara Lyon McLaren helps ACC student Mike Johnson. Bike & Boot Club Bikes & Take Advantage of Academic Achievements Hikes Way Back to ACC DoREENFoucHEY one-time fee upon LAURIE PUROL Staff Writer and to experience the outdoors with peers. "In a society that is The Bike and Boot Club, increasingly demonstrating a sponsored by Student sedentary lifestyle, it's great Senate, has made their to see students becoming come-back to ACC's proactiveonexercisingand student extra-curricular utilizingwhattheoutdoorshas activities. to offer." As an avid downhill The· club existed in past skier, Dunckel, challenged years atACC and its revival and encouraged by club is due to a poll conducted members, learned how to by the Student Senate in snowboard during one of the 2001. ski trips. Students wanted the The advisors, Dunckel and opportunity for an organized Jim Berles, assist in an group that offered outdoor administrative capacity and events. In its third semester answer questions of policy. of existence, the Club "Student members decide membershave,atthispoint, what events to plan and only participated in ski trips. organize. The potential for Huron Shores Have you been tossing those honor society invitations in the garbage? If you have, you're letting opportunities pass you by. Honor Societies (such as Phi Theta Kappa and Kappa • Beta Delta) can make furthering your education easier, as well as help you get your foot in the door of a university or profession. They look great on your resume, too. Normally members must maintain a grade point average of3.5 or higher to sustain membership at Phi Theta Kappa d a minimum of a 3 .0 for Kappa Beta Delta. membership. Phi Theta Kappa awards over $33 million in different types of scholarships to its members annually. Students are required to apply for and submit essays to be considered for most of these, but they must be members. Also, they automatically enroll you into their transfer scholarships database. Universities. use this database to recruit students to their institutions. Phi Theta Kappa Transfer Scholarships are currently offered in 48 states. Michigan alone has 28 different transfer colleges affiliated with Phi Theta Both of these societies c st Kappa including Michigan an average of $50 to joi a State, University of Michigan, Saginaw Valley and many more. If anyonge would like to find out more about these colleges and universities, they may contact them at www.ptk.org/members/ schol/forms/application.htm. Kappa Beta Delta recognizes high academic status among students of business, management and administration. This ~onor society helps their members by assisting them in finding their career of choice. Businesses work with the society looking for graduates that would like to obtain employment. Companies do this because students that are a part of this society are known as high achievers and hard workers. They also help by networking members with business professionals (they believe this gives them a step ahead of the employment competition). They also assist their members with help in finding out where current business jobs are located. Sending letters of recommendation to college admissions, scholarships officials and even to places of employment for their members are also ways that an honors society can help someone. Anyone interested may contact Phi Theta Kappa online at www.ptk.org or by phone at (601) 984-3504. Kappa Beta Delta can be reached by email at info@acbsp.org or by phone at (913) 339-9356. According to John Roe, the club is great, but it ACC's student organizer of depends on student the Bike and Boot Club, involvement," added Jim members' work and class Berles. schedulesmakeitdifficultto The club is tentatively plan any activities outside of planning a spring hiking and winter. canoe trip. Membership in The 'Barn's' Assets Have Been Frozen "The ski trips are fun and theclubisfreeforallstudents. inexpensive because we go Look for flyers notifying as a group," relates member members of meeting times Matthew Purol. Matt and dates. encourages more people to The Bike and Boot Club attend the meetings and to welcomes any suggestions become involved in the club. and ideas of outings students Oneofthefacultyadvisors may be interested in of the club, Matt Dunckel, attending. Contact John Roe BRAD BICKSLER Staff Writer After thirty years of frozen fun, Alpena's Michekewis Ice Arena will be torn down. The pavilion was constructed in 1970 and has hosted such events as tournaments and figure skating shows. With the construction of the Northern Lights Arena, city officials chose to tear it down. The "barn" as it has been so lovingly known will go down in June of 2003. believes the club offers an juansmalldez@hotmail.com winter carnivals, hockey No plan of action has .. o_p_p_o_rtu_ru_·t_y_fo_r_i_n_te_r_ac_t_io_n __ £_o_rm_o_re_in£_o_rm_a_ti_on_. __ ___. games, speed skating been stated for the beech front property and any thing to do with it is still in the development stages. Some residents of Alpena have spoken out against the removal but due to the maintenance of the thirty-year-old building a tear down teardown was the option. Other citizens have said they would like the plot to become a city park or be added to a beech front renewal plan. Some have also stated that they would like to see the cement foundation maintained and a summer roller hockey league be started. Options are still open for the lake-side property. an Ranked Among Top Fifteen States for Railroad Collisions Photo by Elaine Drumm A common railroad crossing on US 23. ELAINE DRUMM Huron Shores She was an only child; he was an only son, barely out of high school. They drove home together late one night, never expecting a train at the railroad crossing, and then it was too late. Twenty years ago my classmate moved to another state to start a new life. He met a nice girl, but both of their Ii ves were tragically cut short when they were killed by a train. So many people take railroad crossings for granted. They become accustomed to crossing the tracks at a certain time of night, when they get out of work or school for instance, and the coast is clear. The coast is always clear. They sai·l over the railroad tracks with only their destination in mind. Terry Allison, a student at Alpena Community College knows this from experience. While driving a familiar route one evening he crossed the railroad tracks without stopping first. He said, "I never saw a train at that crossing before, and I have crossed it several times. I sped over the tracks only to see the train approaching. It scared the daylightsoutofme." Atrain can come from either direction. Train traffic is unpredictable. National statistic report over three thousand collisions occurred at railroad crossing in 2001, and Michigan ranked among the top fifteen states. In Northeast Michigan freight trains transport commodities through many crossings that don't provide the protective warning signals of light, bells and gates. Operation Life Saver, a national non-profit organization formed in 1972, promotes safety on railroad crossings. Since its inception, collisions have been reduced by over 9000 annually. According to Mike Reed, a presenter for Operation Life Saver, "Anytime is train time ... there can be multiple tracks. When people see a train going through, they proceed and then are stuck by a second train they never expected." Mike said another thing that causes collisions is that people become complacent. They come to a crossing where the tracks look rusted and unused, so they take for grflnted that there is no rail traffic. Thirty seconds to stop a car and tum down the music could prevent a needless brush with death. We all assume something like this will never happen to us, but it does happen and can easily be avoided if we take the time to stop and listen. For safety tips and more information, log on to Operation Life Saver's web site.at www.oli/org.