The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

4 Peature CJ'fie <Po[emic/:M_arcfi 12, 1997 Vol. 72, No.12 ■ Jan. 24, 1997 Advisor's note: The following article comes from The Ranger. San An- tonio College's Student Newspaper. The Ranger is linked with The Polemic as part of Exploring America's Communities: Viewpoint/Laura Jesse In Search of Common Ground. Sponsored by the National E,ndowment of the Humanities and the San Pedro High underrated bV the uninformed American Association of Community Colleges, Exploring America's Com- munities is designed to promote understanding of con~emporary American culture. ' San Pedro High. That is the illustrious name - well maybe not so illustrious - given to this college by many in our community. In fact when I transferred to this school from Texas Woman's University two years ago, I would look down at the ground or look away and mutter, "San Pedro High," whenever I was w....;.a...;;_...:.a:__._~ asked what school I was attending. It was not until my second semester here that I fealized this college and the.many programs it offers is a hidden treasure to the community. Never in high school, when I showed,an interest in writing, did any counselor or teacher suggest that I start my college en- deavors in the journalism program here. San Antonio College was reserved for the students who could not get into four-year universities or who did not have enough mone to attend a major university. We are ranked high among community colleges in the nation and generally students who come out of this college do better at four-year universities than transfers from other community col- leges or students who did not attend a community college. So forgive me if I sound like a cheerleader for this college, but in a sense I guess I am.~ Let's start with what I know best about this school - the journalism program. The Ranger, the student publication at San Pedro High, just received one of the highest honors for college media for the eighth time. The paper also was inducted into the Associated Collegiate Press Hall of Fame in October. The most recent awards, while celebrated, are merely a speck in the collection of regional and national rankings and awards The Ranger has received through the years. Journalism schools at four-year universities do not have to ask where San 1).ntonio College is: they cannot forget where it is because it is home to The Ranger. Automotive Technology Instructor Rick Engstrom and his scout PHOTO COURTESY OF RICK ENGSTROM . troop take a break during their 56 mile backpacking trip on Isle Royale. ;I Engstrom carries on the scouting tradition •The former scout is now a scoutmaster BY NICK PHILLIPS STAFF WRITER three years. The nursing program is highly acclaimed as the largest pro- gram of its type in the state as well as for offering the only · registered nurse refreshe, course in the state. The passing rate on state board exams for nursing students from this school is always in the 90s. · Students from the graphics design classes win Addy Awards for their designs and put together shows that draw public at- tention, such as Spamapalooza last spring. The forensics team regularly collects awards .. Some of our art students and music students get recruited right out of the studio to attend the most prestigious art insti- tutes and music schools. But alas, despite all the public relations effort,s, this college will probably never live down the name San Pedro High. Which is a shame. If someone showed me in this direction when I graduated from high school, I could be on my way to a bachelor's degree. I could have saved time and money to be part of the elite at this college. ~►•. ,, .,..., ~:~t:, • Snuw is kft6g •YJ!ie 'lJfizzartf of '97" Many of us were involved with the scouts at one time or another. Whether it be Cub, Boy, or Girl Scouts, it was a common experience for a lot of America's youth. The same goes for Rick Engstrom, an in- structor of Automotive Tech- nology here at ACC. Engstrom has helped sev- eral people attain the coveted position of Eagle Scout, but attributes the success of the guess the values which scout- ing builds are things that I be- lieve very strongly in." He says that one way the go about doing that "is by the boys in- teracting with many different adults who have their priori- ties and moral values in or- der," and also through the out- door program. "Trying to get the scouts to be better citizens is what it is all about," Engstrom said. PHOTOS BY POLEMIC STAFF Engstrom was in scouts until the 'age of 16, but has .recently been involved with them since his oldest boy joined Cub Scouts 10 years ago. He was actively involved in the Cub Scouts until his younger boy went through, then he moved up to Boy Scouts. He started off as a committee chairman, moved to merit badge counselor, then the position of Scoutmaster. He has held that position for Trying to get the scouts to be better citizens is what it is all about. ~Rick Engstrom I individuals to the individuals themselves and the parents who were actively involved and cared about their children's success. Engstrom places the em- phasis not on rank and ad- vancement, but the values. "I Engstrom described one of the outdoor activities that the scouts did. They have recently taken a backpacking trip to Isle Royale, in which they trav- eled 56 miles on foot and took a week to do so. "When you're in that kind of a situation you do an awful lot of thinking and an awful lot of reflection·on what life is re- ally like and what life is all about," said Engstrom. Thursday February 27, at 10 a.m., ACC was closed because of weather. Fifteen inches of heavy snow fell in less than 24 hours. Kathleen McGillis, Assis- tant Dean of Health Occupations, stayed over to catch up on some work and could not get out of the parking lot until she was assisted by an ACC stu- dent. Nat Salziger and son Stephan not only assisted McGillis out of the lot, they followed her home to Grand Lake to make sure she had no more problems. ~f you could change something about Ac·c, what would that be? s T u D E N T s Kevin Sobczak "More student activities, maybe more student bodies." Jennifer Ries "I would offer a wider range of classes to choose from." Tonya Flemming "I would change the parking. I usually have to wait in line, and I have gotten two park- ing tickets." Eric Wregglesworth "Probably a bigger machine shop area. We need new equipment, and there is not enough room." Darek Purgiel "No classes on Friday." s p E A ·K