The Pioneer, Vol. 52, Issue 5

March 4, 2019 / Vol. 52, Issue 5
Pierce College Fort Steilacoom’s student news publication, Est. 1974
A SINGLE MOTHER’S
JOURNEY
PG. 16
THE BAN ON
TRANSGENDER
SERVICE MEMBERS
PG. 12-13
HOW PIERCE IS
GETTING STUDENTS TO
SCHOOL
PG. 8-9
FILM STUDENTS
SHADOW
REAL-LIFE DIRECTOR
JAMES WINTERS
PG. 10-11

THE
2
Editorial
STUDENT BUS PASS GIVES
YOU FREEDOM
Everyone from time to time has had the unpleasant
experience of asking a friend or parent
for a ride to school, work or wherever.
Everyone wants the freedom to get to and from
places without the relying on others, especially
when they require you to chip in for gas.
When not able to chip in gas money that can
put a strain on relationships.
Not everyone is blessed to own a car, let alone
drive one.
A medical or mental condition can prohibit
driving. Others choose not to for personal
reasons.
This quarter a partnership between Pierce
College and Pierce Transit creates the opportunity
for free monthly bus passes. Students are not
limited to just getting to and from campus.
The bus pass can be used to go to Seattle,
Owens beach and the Ruston waterfront, just to
name a few examples. There are plenty of places
to go and roam.
Springtime will soon be here and spring break
is right around the corner. Do something new,
perhaps go downtown on St. Patrick’s Day and
check out the parade.
Though at times riding a bus can be crowded,
it is one of the most convenient ways to get
around town.
The bus pass program here at Pierce may only
be for students enrolled in classes, but Pierce
Transit does offer reasonably priced ORCA cards
and reduced-priced cards for seniors and those
that are disabled.
Have a great rest of the winter quarter, The
Pioneer looks forward to seeing everyone back
for spring quarter!
/ piercepioneernews.com
Editorial Manager
Calvin Beekman
cbeekman@pierce.ctc.edu
Production Manager
Carl Vincent Carallas
ccarallas@pierce.ctc.edu
Web Manager
Alyssa Wilkins
awilkins@pierce.ctc.edu
Social Media Manager
Malia Adaoag
madaoag@pierce.ctc.edu
Office Manager
Jenn Burgess
jburgess@pierce.ctc.edu
Cover: Marji Harris/Staff Photo
James Winters/Courtesy Photos
Web: piercepioneernews.com
Email: pioneer@pierce.ctc.edu
Facebook: piercepioneernews
Twitter: @piercepioneer
Phone: 253-964-6604
Room: CAS 323
Staff
Find Victoria: Victoria will
make an appearance in each
of our cover photos. Can you
find her in this one?
Nick Nelson/Staff Photo
Letters to The Editor
Have an opinion on our articles or about campus events, policy?
Write a letter to the editor and send to:
pioneer@pierce.ctc.edu.
We cannot publish letters that are anonymous.
THE PIONEER MISSION STATEMENT
Candee Bell
Marji Harris
Jorge Higuera
Khuong “Finn” Quoc Ho
Diane Russell
Maxwell Smith
Karley Wise
Nick Nelson
Alexander Horen
Sophiya Galanesi
Jed Brewer
Insert name here_
This
could
be you!
Interested in working for
The Pioneer? Stop by
room CAS 323 to pick up
an application today.
The Pioneer is an official publication of the Associated Students of Pierce College and is
sanctioned as such by the college’s Board of Trustees and funded primarily by student fees.
It is a public forum for student expression since 1974.
The Pioneer’s mission is:
(1) to inform the student body of issues and events of interest, relevance and importance;
(2) to provide students with a forum for discussion, opinion and expression; and
(3) to provide the student body with editorial leadership.
In carrying out this mission, The Pioneer will use as its ethical guide the Statement of
Principles adopted by the American Society of Newspaper Editors. Although it will strive
to represent the diverse views and interests of the student body, The Pioneer is not responsible
for representing, endorsing or promoting any person, group, organization or activity.
March 4, 2019 / Vol. 52, Issue 5

CONTENTS
Pg. 6-7 Pg. 10-11 Pg. 15
Pg. 8-9
Pg. 12-13 Pg. 16
Pg. 6-7 Pg. 10-11
International Women’s Day
Film Students Shadow A
Student thoughts on IWD
Real Director
Students got a first-hand look at
Pg. 8-9
filmmaking
Transportation For All
How the college is helping
students get to school
Pg. 12-13
The Transgender Military Ban
What students think of the
new White House policy
Pg. 14
St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations
The origin and traditions of
St. Patty’s day
Pg. 15
March Madness
68 college teams will compete
in a basketball tournament
Pg. 16
Single Parents’ Day
A single mother’s journey
Pg. 18-19
Coffee Break
Take a break; read
some extras
March 4, 2019 / Vol. 52, Issue 5 piercepioneernews.com / 3

H
APPENINGS
March 8
March 8
March 11
March 12
Emerging Leaders
Academy (ELA)
Noon-1 p.m.
Where:
CAS 529
International
Women’s Day,
“Fight Like a Girl”
Noon-3 p.m.
Where:
Performance Lounge
“Let’s Talk About
Sex,” Sex
Awareness
11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Where:
Performance and
Fireside Lounge
FS Clubs
Council Meeting
Noon-1 p.m.
Where:
OLY 205
March 14
March 15
March 15
March 15
FS Concert Choir
7 p.m.
Where:
Centralia College
General
admission: $5
With Pierce ID: FREE
Multicultural
Leadership
Institute (MLI)
Noon-1 p.m.
Where:
CAS 529
FS Student
Government Meeting
1:15 p.m.-2 p.m.
Where:
Student Life Lobby,
4th floor
College Movie
Matinee featuring
Aquaman
2-4:30 p.m.
Where:
Performance Lounge
March 15, 16
March 18
March 19
March 21
Winter Film Festival
7 p.m.
Where:
Lecture Hall
(CAS 332)
Raider Review
4-8 p.m.
Where:
Performance and
Fireside Lounge
Puppy Cuddle
11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Where:
Fireside Lounge
Last day of
instruction for
Winter Quarter
All day
Finish strong!
March 22, 25, 26
Final Exams
4
/ piercepioneernews.com
Spring Break
March 27 - April 5
March 4, 2019 / Vol. 52, Issue 5

Men’s
Baseball
Olympic College
Clakcamas Community College
Skagit Valley College
Centralia College
Green River College
Bellevue College
March 10 | 11 a.m. March 16 | 2 a.m.
Everett Community College
March 23 | 12 p.m. March 26 | 4 p.m.
Shoreline Community College
March 24 | 12 p.m. March 30 | 2 p.m.
Edmonds Community College
March 31 | 1 p.m. April 6 | 2 p.m.
April 3 | 3 p.m.
Women’s
Softball
*All games are at Mt. Tahoma high
school’s baseball field in Tacoma,
Washington.
*All games are at Heritage
Recreation Center – Softball
complex in Puyallup, Washington.
Science Dome shows
Planet Nine
From Dream to Discovery
Black Holes: The Other
Side of Infinity
Mysteries of the Unseen World
Space School
Faster Than Light
Habitat Earth
March 8 at 7 p.m.
March 9 at 3:15 p.m.
March 15 at 7 p.m.
March 16 at 3:15 p.m.
March 22 at 7 p.m.
March 29 at 7 p.m.
March 30 at 3:15 p.m.
*The Science Dome is in Rainier 263. Students with Pierce
ID can enter for free. Non-student tickets are $6.
March 4, 2019 / Vol. 52, Issue 5 NASA/ Courtesy Photo
piercepioneernews.com / 5

Campus
SACRIFICING RIGHTS IS TRADITION
International Women’s Day is not celebrated
the same way in every country
By SOPHIYA GALANESI
Staff Writer
6
/ piercepioneernews.com
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
(IWD) IS A HOLIDAY that is meant to
be celebrated worldwide, yet some countries
still have not guaranteed women
their basic rights.
IWD celebrates women and how much
they have achieved over the years. The
topic of women’s rights cannot be discussed
without addressing the rights they
are deprived of.
Having a day that celebrates women’s
rights does not mean that all of them
have been achieved. There are still many
that women lack. Educating both men
and women on how much women have
achieved is essential to bridging the gap
between genders and creating an equal
standard. Not only is IWD about remembering
the rights women have achieved,
it is also a day to continue empowering
women all over the world.
Pierce College exchange student Linh
Tin explained that in Asia, they view
women as inferior to men and treat them
poorly because they have traditional values.
“They think that men are the most
important in the family who can decide
everything, and I think we should change
that.”
Mina Wong, an exchange student from
Hong Kong, said,“I feel like International
Women’s Day is not that important in
Hong Kong. I feel like Hong Kong cannot
do gender equality.”
“We always think that (an) adult woman
is a housewife; we won’t think that she
has a job or anything, but all the time we
think that men are the ones who work.
The ones who earn money to support the
family,” she said.
Wong said that based on her experience,
Pierce gives women more rights
than her school in Hong Kong because
they were still in the process of improving
gender equality.
Even students who were born in America
but have immigrant parents also view
IWD in a different way. Although they
grew up in America and were influenced
by the society, it was not enough to break
down the traditions passed down from
older generations.
“The men in the house take over
the woman’s responsibilities of doing
things and they just see how it is from
a woman’s perspective of what they do
on the daily,” Mariam Dzyk said when
asked how her family celebrates IWD.
Dzyk is a Pierce student with immigrant
parents who moved from Russia 26 years
ago. Despite the years, the tradition of a
woman being solely responsible for the
household still stands.
The perspective of men on IWD is just
as important as women’s. They also play a
role in the sense that for a long time, men
have had the rights that women are fighting
for. Along with women fighting for
their basic rights, men are also bringing
attention to themselves.
“It’s always been about men, so it’s
now shifting that focus equally to both
men and women,” said David Karcha, a
Pierce student working toward his engineering
degree. “It’s changing, with the
‘Me Too’ movement for example. Men
can’t get their way with everything now,
it’s like to show that they’re limited.”
Another student, Sammy Tang, said,
“They (women) don’t have the same
things as we (men) do, like equal pay,
birth control – and it’s weird that men
have a say in everything.”
To empower women, Tang said, “Ensure
that they can have their rights. It’s
weird to say this, but I want them to have
basic rights.” The goal is not to surpass
men, but rather to create an equal playing
field.
Nick Nelson/Staff Photo Illustration
March 4, 2019 / Vol. 52, Issue 5

Perspectives from...
China
MINA WONG
“I FEEL LIKE
INTERNATIONAL
WOMEN’S DAY IS NOT
THAT IMPORTANT IN HONG
KONG. I FEEL LIKE HONG KONG
CANNOT DO GENDER EQUALITY.”
Mina Wong/Courtesy Photo
STUDENTS
GIVEN
OPPORTUNITY
TO “FIGHT
LIKE A GIRL”
Self-defense class
empowers women
Campus
Russia
MARIAM DZYK
“THE MEN IN
THE HOUSE TAKE
OVER THE WOMAN’S
RESPONSIBILITIES OF
DOING THINGS AND THEY
JUST SEE HOW IT IS FROM A
WOMAN’S PERSPECTIVE...”
Mariam Dzyk/Courtesy Photo
“Fight Like a Girl” is a phrase
commonly associated with females
being weak and inferior,
making them easy targets. Student
Life is using that phrase
to change that. On March 8, the
Lakewood police Department
will be bringing their Rape Aggression
Defense (RAD) self-defense
class to Pierce College.
America
DAVID KARCHA
“IT’S ALWAYS BEEN
ABOUT MEN, SO IT’S NOW
SHIFTING THAT FOCUS
EQUALLY TO BOTH MEN AND
WOMEN.”
Sophiya Galanesi/Staff Photo
When:
March 8
Noon - 3 p.m.
Where:
Fort Steilacoom Campus
Cascade Building
Performance Lounge
America
SAMMY TANG
“THEY (WOMEN)
DON’T HAVE THE SAME
THINGS AS WE (MEN) DO,
LIKE EQUAL PAY, BIRTH
CONTROL – AND IT’S WEIRD
THAT MEN HAVE A SAY IN
EVERYTHING.”
Sophiya Galanesi/Staff Photo
Contact:
Aidan Helt
ahelt@pierce.ctc.edu
253-964-6255
March 4, 2019 / Vol. 52, Issue 5 piercepioneernews.com / 7

Campus
TRANSPORTATION FOR ALL
The free bus pass program is now
available to Pierce students
8
By CALEB HENSIN
Staff Writer
STUDENT LIFE ADMINISTRATIVE
SENATOR Connor Fredericks describes
the intent behind Pierce College’s recent
partnership with the Pierce County
Public Transportation Benefit Area Corporation
(Pierce Transit) as eliminating
socioeconomic barriers.
In early January, the college began
offering free ORCA card bus passes to
students for use on all Pierce Transit buses
and routes. In addition, as part of the
deal with Pierce Transit, the campus will
be beta testing (a trial for software in the
final phase of development) the “Pierce
Pass” app, which acts as a quarterly bus
pass using the Hopthru mobile ticketing
platform. Students who join the program
will receive an email containing a download
link for the app.
The free transit initiative was introduced
by Fredericks and two other
student government members: President
Raymond Power and Vice President
Caleb Bromley. “We realized we were the
only community college in the county
that didn’t have this contract with Pierce
Transit,” Power said. The Puyallup campus
already had such a contract since fall.
The proposal for a contract with Pierce
Transit was brought to the board of trustees,
and once accepted, Choi Halladay,
the Vice President of Administrative Services
who had worked with them on the
Puyallup deal, became a point of contact
with the company.
“Because they already had a working
model for this kind of contract with other
colleges such as Tacoma Community
College, it was simple to reach an agreement
using that established structure,”
Halladay said. The Board of Trustees
had already also authorized the college
/ piercepioneernews.com
to make such contracts previously with
the Puyallup campus, and would provide
funding.
“Surveys identified transportation as
a key issue, and there are approximately
fifty bus arrivals at Pierce a day,” Halladay
said.
The Senior Employer Services Coordinator
at Pierce Transit, Sharon Stockwell,
was the point of contact for what
they call the Student Pass Program. The
program had been in pilot for over a year
and in January was made a permanent
program by the company’s Board of
Commissioners.
According to Stockwell, the program
was created upon noticing that students
made up a significant amount of people
who use public transit. “We wanted to
strengthen our partnership with colleges,
and to encourage starting ridership
young.”
Clover Park Technical College was the
first college to join the program in
2017, and prior to the Pierce Pass app,
students used their school ID cards as
passes. Stockwell stated that the app
is more tailored to students than Pierce
Transit’s other apps due to it being
quarterly (matching Pierce’s quarterly
system), saying that it is a different
product. She emphasized that despite
“WE WANTED TO STRENGTHEN OUR
PARTNERSHIP WITH COLLEGES, AND TO
ENCOURAGE STARTING RIDERSHIP YOUNG.”
— CALEB BROMLEY,
ASPCFS VICE PRESIDENT
Alyssa Wilkins/
Staff Photo Illustration
March 4, 2019 / Vol. 52, Issue 5

Campus
“WE DON’T WANT STUDENTS WHO
ALREADY HAVE A DIFFICULT
TIME PAYING FOR TUITION
TO NOT BE ABLE TO PAY FOR
TRANSPORTATION TO CLASSES.”
— RAYMOND POWER,
ASPCFS PRESIDENT
these differences, the pass could be used
for any Pierce Transit route, and that
students could therefore use it for getting
to work and other places in addition to
school.
Bromley said the student bus pass
program was well received, although he
doesn’t know how many users are benefiting
from it yet. He said that the physical
passes offered at the Security Office
ran out very quickly after Pierce Transit
had a presence at the Welcome Day
events Student Life held at the beginning
of the quarter.
Powers agreed with Bromley’s conclusion,
adding that Student Life’s front
desk received many questions about the
program and how to use the Pierce Pass
app.
“We don’t want students who already
have a difficult time paying for tuition to
not be able to pay for transportation to
classes,” Power said.
Claudio, which is his full name, is a
student who has been commuting by bus
since before the Pierce Transit deal. “It’s a
game changer,” he said. “I live on a fixed
income, so saving $36.00 a month is a big
deal.”
He also stated that he had never used
one of Pierce Transit’s apps before the
Pierce Pass app was offered with the free
transit deal. “The free transit is totally the
only reason I use the Hopthru app.”
Student Connie Zhang also uses public
transit. She echoed Claudio on the money-saving
benefits of the program. “The
app is really easy to use; you basically
just tap it (to the bus fare console) and it
works automatically.”
The program is currently ongoing. It
is open to all students, requiring at least
five credits of classes, which includes
Running Start, ASL and ABE, but not
continuing education or community
classes.
ORCA Cards can be obtained at the
Security Office. Student Life members
stated that any questions can be directed
to their front desk in the Student Life
Office.
Carl Vincent Carallas/
Staff Photo
Nick Nelson/
Staff Photo
March 4, 2019 / Vol. 52, Issue 5 piercepioneernews.com / 9

News
PIERCE COLLEGE
TRANSFORMS
Technical film students
shadow real-life director
By MARJI HARRIS
Staff Writer
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION! These
are familiar director’s commands associated
with places like Hollywood, but they
are also becoming a regular part of the
Pacific Northwest.
This quarter, five Pierce College film
students have the opportunity to shadow
a local film director, and they do not have
to go any further than their own campus
to do it.
Film professor Fred Metzger is partnering
up with a local movie director
to create “The Hunt.” It centers around
two tweens who follow a phone app on a
scavenger hunt. Part of the film is being
shot on the Fort Steilacoom campus;
10
/piercepioneernews.com
some of the scenes have already been
shot in the library.
The project has been weeks in the
making. At the beginning of the quarter,
Metzger asked for film scripts from students
across the campus. From those submitted,
he chose projects for his students
in his technical film class to direct.
Then he got in touch with a local
director, James Winters, who just finished
another film project called “They Reach,”
a horror film set in Tacoma. Winters was
starting a new project and the two were
able to work out an arrangement to shoot
part of the film on campus.
Students in the film class are responsible
for seeing their scripts become a
motion picture. They have to pick those
who will be in the film, choose a location,
and do the final cuts.
With only six students in the class,
Student director Jackie Laverne (right) reflects on how the
camera becomes a storyteller. A scene through a camera
takes an instant that a book would take pages to describe.
“I THINK THAT IS A LOT
LIKE WHAT DIRECTING
IS; YOU’RE THE BOSS
AND WHAT YOU SAY
GOES: BE A LEADER.”
— RANDY JOHNSON,
STUDENT DIRECTOR
Metzger is able to do more than usual.
“I can spend more time one-on-one with
them, showing them editing and other
techniques that I usually do not have
time to do,” he said.
One of the benefits of shadowing
a director is the opportunity to see cutting-edge
technology at work. Much of
Winters’ projects are made for streaming
online, so he uses what is called a “red
camera.” Designed exclusively for digital
filming, it shoots in a higher resolution at
6-8K. Conventional camera equipment,
also known as the “black box,” results in
a grainy resolution, which is unusable for
movie outlets such as Netflix.
A director often will do more than one
“take” for a scene. The amount of work
that goes into creating just a 10-second
scene was a small surprise to one of the
students in the class, David Zink. “I was
blown away by at how much work there
is in this thing. I am sure that I do not
have any talent or patience for that direction.
I’m a writer, not a film technician,
he said.”
Jackie Laverne is one of the technical
film students. She found the use of a red
camera fascinating. “All the studios such
as Amazon and Netflix have to shoot at
higher resolutions. When edited, they
March 4, 2019 / Vol. 52, Issue 5

News
INTO A MOVIE SET
edit down into 4K for high definition, it
is what makes it crystal clear, makes it
crisp,” she said.
The project itself has a surprising result
for Laverne. She was expecting more emphasis
on the equipment. In shadowing
Winters, she discovered the camera does
not just record scenes. “It shows you how
to guide the viewer through the story [in
a way] that is easy to understand, enjoyable,
and helps with the creative part that
creates the suspension of disbelief within
a story line,” she said.
Finn Ho, one of the students in the film
technical class, is looking forward to the
partnership project. Watching how people
interact on set gives him a first-hand
look into what a director does. “I want to
get a sense of what it is like to work on
a professional set. I want to learn more
about the technical stuff like color, logistics,
and getting people together,” he said.
Randy Johnson is another student
in the film class. He likes the idea of a
shadow project because it provides a
model he can follow. “It teaches me what
to expect, what kind of a demeanor a director
should have; it’s work. The director
is the boss. Like in construction, there’s a
contractor. I think that is a lot like what
directing is, you’re the boss and what you
say goes. Be a leader. What I would like
to learn today the most is leadership,” he
said.
Winters’ film project will be wrapping
up sometime in the spring. As of yet, no
release date is available.
The students’ class projects will be
shown at the Pierce College Film Festival
on March 15 and 16.
FINN HO, STUDENT DIRECTOR
What is a good movie plot?
“I just like movies that as
soon as the twist is revealed,
I will go back and watch the
movie. It turns into a different
experience.”
JACKIE LAVERNE,
STUDENT DIRECTOR
Why be a director?
“Because I want the career
path that will pay my bills and
the career path that will make
my life fuller.... I would rather
tell the stories than be the
story.”
RANDY JOHNSON,
STUDENT DIRECTOR
Who is your favoirte director?
“Quentin Tarantino: He does
fun, exciting stories. First, he is
a writer. Then, he’s a director. I
feel that he is an expert in both
of those fields.”
Marji Harris/Staff Photos
March 4, 2019 / Vol. 52, Issue 5 piercepioneernews.com / 11

Features
Alyssa Wilkins and Candee Bell/
Staff Photo Illustration
PIERCE COLLEGE STUDENTS REJECT WHITE HOUSE
POLICY ON TRANSGENDER SERVICE MEMBERS
Military transgender ban awaits Maryland judge’s decision
By ALEX HOREN
Staff Writer
IN THE MILITARY, an individual’s
background is irrelevant. Everyone is a
service member, with the only expectation
being service for country. Be it
on the frontlines or behind a desk, the
military values anyone with both the
motivation to work and the drive to help
their country.
For some, the military presents a way
out or a fresh start, an avenue of escaping
a troubled home or a difficult past.
However, for transgender people, this is
not an option. With the recent proposed
ban on transgender service members,
military service may be completely out
12
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of reach.
The Pentagon released a memo last
February, stating there were “substantial
risks” to allowing transgender people into
the military. The White House would
later come forth with a policy to ban
transgender service members from the
military.
The new ban faced numerous injunctions,
or authoritative warning, as it
circulated through the lower courts of the
legislative system and had been on hold.
In January, the Supreme Court voted to
remove most of the injunctions blocking
the ban. Currently, a Maryland judge’s
decision will determine whether the new
policy will go into effect, according to the
U.S Department of Defense’s Jan. 22 press
release.
Members of Pierce College Fort Steilacoom’s
Queer Support Club voiced their
opposition to joining the military given
the ban on transgender service members
in the military.
Club president Isaac Morgan Pennoyer,
concurred with them, stating that he had
decidedly kept away from joining the
military after three of his aunts had suffered
severe mental and physical trauma
while serving.
Pennoyer also said the ban impacted
his opinion of the government in a
negative way. “I don’t think it’s a ‘liberal’
take or a ‘democrat’ take to say that a
president who doesn’t value all human
life is garbage.”
March 4, 2019 / Vol. 52, Issue 5

Prior to 2016, it was illegal for transgender
people to serve in the military.
President Barack Obama worked to
change that and succeeded, despite strenuous
opposition. In July 2017, President
Donald Trump went against this in a
tweet. “Our military must be focused on
decisive and overwhelming victory…and
cannot be burdened with the tremendous
medical costs and disruption that
transgender in the military would entail,”
he stated.
Trump put out a revised version of the
ban, which would allow people who were
serving as openly transgender before the
Pentagon memo’s release to continue.
Previously, the military’s policy towards
transgender and other members
of the LGBT community was “Don’t ask;
don’t tell.” In other words, transgender
soldiers would be treated the same as
everyone else so long as they appeared to
conform to their gender identity. However,
if a service member was revealed to be
transgender, their superiors would deal
with it as they saw fit, typically resulting
in discharge.
“I THINK THERE
SHOULDN’T BE A BAN.
THERE NEEDS TO BE
STIPULATIONS.”
— K.H., PIERCE
COLLEGE FORT
STEILACOOM
STUDENT AND ARMY
VETERAN
Marco Aguirre, an Army veteran currently
attending Pierce College Fort Steilacoom,
spoke about the climate around
transgender people in the U.S. military.
He stated that he believed much of the
military still harbored anti-transgender
beliefs. However, he also expressed
that treatment of transgender service
members had certainly improved since
when he first joined, and that they were
still making strides when he had left the
military.
Another Army veteran attending
Pierce College Fort Steilacoom,
going by the initials “K.H.”,
stated transgender service
members should be medically
cleared before deploying to
avoid complications during
active duty.
“I think there shouldn’t be a
ban. There needs to be stipulations,” he
said drawing on both personal experience
and educational training they had
received from the military in 2017 about
transgender service members.
Contrasting with Aguirre, K.H. stated
that he believed most of the military to
be rather accepting of transgender service
members.
According to RAND Corporation’s
2016 findings, there are between 1,320
and 6,630 transgender service members
serving in active duty. This does not
account for transgender personnel in
the military who are not open to sharing
information about their sexuality.
Features
March 4, 2019 / Vol. 52, Issue 5
Candee Bell/Staff Photo
piercepioneernews.com / 13

Features
A beginner’s guide to
Saint Patrick’s Day
Four popular ways to celebrate the holiday
By KHUONG “FINN”
QUOC HO
Staff Writer
MARCH IS BACK after eleven
months of anticipation. While March
Madness is a quite a sight to behold,
people will still get excited when they
start seeing their peers all decked out in
green gear, dashing from one person to
another to pinch them. As Americans are
having “the Craic” (Irish slang for fun)
of their life bar hopping and picking up
shamrocks, it is important to take a look
at what the celebration is all about.
Pinch people
We all know that we should wear green
on Saint Patrick’s Day to avoid being
pinched. But it begs the question: Why?
The site Thrillist.com shared that the reason
why people wear green on this special
day is because it is one of the many
ways people show their Irish pride. Maddy
Shenton, a Pierce college student of
Irish descent, jokingly shared that one of
her traditions is to punch a person who
is not drowned in green. While there
are many debatable origins for wearing
green, the color helps people get into the
holiday spirit and pinching just adds to
the fun of it regardless. Another Pierce
Irish descendant by the name of Michael
Forbes shared that he likes to dress up as
a leprechaun and sing Saint Patty's cheer
with the kids in his neighborhood.
Find four-leaf clovers
The color green that is often associated
with the holiday is believed to have
originated from the color of the clover
leaf. The lore of Saint Patrick’s tells the
story of the Saint himself explaining
the Holy Trinity with a three leaf clover.
Candee Bell/Staff Illustration
History Professor Christopher Vanneson
pointed out that the story is not supported
by facts. But because of the legend,
the image of the plant has become the
most iconic symbol of the celebration.
And with the green hue, it does nothing
but go wonderfully well with the holiday
theme. With chances of finding a fourleaf
clover being 1 to 10,000, according
to The Science Explorer, one can try their
luck to find these rare plants.
Eat corned beef
No Saint Patrick’s Day dinner table
is complete without the sight of corned
beef and cabbage. Contrary to popular
belief, corned beef is not actually an Irish
food. According to Delish.com, when the
Irish immigrants first arrived in America,
they yearned for the comfort food of
their motherland, which was bacon. The
problem was that the price of pork was
relatively expensive, so they turned to
beef brisket as an alternative. They added
salt to help preserve the meat, and thus
corned beef was introduced. While it is
strange that corned beef is not Irish in
the first place, there is no denying that it
brings an Irish taste to the table.
Spot Saint Patrick
The first recorded St. Patrick’s Day parade
was held in the heart of New York in
1762, not Ireland, according to History.
com. Since then the parade has become
a staple for the holiday and happens
every year in big cities and small towns
alike. Americans often find themselves
cheering with the crowd on Saint Patty’s
Day to the floats and representations of
Saint Patrick himself. Seattle is hosting
the annual parade on March 16 this year,
and will feature pirates, bagpipers, Irish
dancers and many more.
As the day is “marching” closer, everyone
is recommended to have fun, whether
it be picking out some green attire or
indulging in some corned beef. Be safe
while you’re at it. With that being said,
happy Saint Patty's day!
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/ piercepioneernews.com
March. 4, 2018 / Vol. 52, Issue 5

MARCH MADNESS IS COMING
A look at university brackets
Sports
By JED BREWER
Staff Writer
THE PHENOMENON THAT IS THE
NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC
ASSOCIATION’S Division 1 basketball
tournament is set to run its course from
March, 17 to April 8.
Better known as March Madness, both
men’s and women’s tournaments will
feature a collection of the best 68 teams
in the country. Teams are ranked by a
committee and given a seed to reflect
their season’s success.
With a single elimination “bracket”
style format, 16 teams are placed into
four regions. The one seed or plays the 16
seed, the two seed plays the 15 seed, and
so on.
Pierce College Women’s Basketball
Head Coach Ariassa Wilson is headed
to the women’s Final Four this year in
Tampa, Florida. She says she has always
been a UConn fan, but enjoys watching
other teams such as Notre Dame, South
Carolina, Tennessee, and Oregon. She
gave some insight as to what makes the
tournament so special.
“How you perform November through
February determines your placement
in March. Then from there, it is almost
anyone’s game,” Wilson said. “Teams that
were not selected to win end up winning.
That’s what’s so great about basketball is
on any given night it is anyone’s game.”
The format style allows for “upsets”. An
upset occurs when a lower seeded team
wins against a higher ranked team. When
a low seeded team, such as Loyola-Chicago
last year, makes a run into the Final
Four teams, it is often called a Cinderella
story. This aspect gives a rags to riches
kind of feeling for these teams in a way.
This year’s tournament features a mix
of local and national talent for the men
and women.
Locally, the Gonzaga Bulldogs men’s
squad is ranked No. 4 in the nation and
sits with their current record at 25-2 Star
forward and potential NBA Draft lottery
pick, Rui Hachimura, leads the team,
averaging 20 points and 6.3 rebounds per
game.
The University of Washington Huskies
will also look to make a run in the
tournament for the first time since 2011.
With a record of 20-5 overall, and 10-1 in
the Pac 12 Conference, the team carries a
lot of senior leadership mixed with
See March Madness, page 18
Carl Vincent Carallas/Photo Illustration
March 4, 2019 / Vol. 52, Issue 5 piercepioneernews.com / 15

Commentary
Who I tried to be and who I am
By DIANE RUSSELL
Staff Writer
How becoming a single parent helped me follow my dreams
IN 2014 I STARTED AT PIERCE
COLLEGE Fort Steilacoom with the intention
of becoming a Registered Nurse.
I was not one hundred percent happy
about my career choice. For seven years
I had worked as a Certified Nurses Aid
and I was burnt out.
I believed that my key to happiness
was stability. And stability meant a secure
job with reliable income. Happiness was
in the future and I had to hold on for a
while longer. I was right, but not in the
way I thought.
My son arrived two days after my
birthday in 2015. I became a single
parent two weeks later. It is an understatement
to say my life turned upside
down. It turned upside down, sideways,
and inside out.
I had left my job as a CNA and the
relief had been immediate. The nursing
field did not need one more burnt
out person only in it for the paycheck.
Gazing down at my son’s innocent face,
I knew I had to change my life to make
ours better. The arrival of my son had
fulfilled a dream I did not know I had. It
was time to realize all my dreams.
From an early age I had known I wanted
to be an artist. For my third birthday
I received the paint box and real acrylic
paints I had asked for. But as I grew older,
I was told more and more that artists are
called “starving artists” for a reason.
I did not want my son to be told that
his dreams were unrealistic. Or that
money mattered more than living the
life he wanted. I had to be an example
of someone that followed their heart.
I changed my degree focus to digital
design in 2016 and the relief was immediate.
Being a single parent is hard. Being a
college student is hard work. Add those
two together and you have a recipe for
overload, poverty, and massive sleep
deprivation. But there has not been a
single day that I regret my choices.
I have had some help as a single mom
and even more as a student. Without
the Basic Food Employment & Training
(BFET) program I would not have been
able to attend school. The Milgard Child
Development Center at the Fort Steilacoom
campus provides an unexpected
source of emotional support for my son
and me. I recommend Milgard to any
parent looking for daycare or preschool.
The instructors at Fort Steilacoom have
been hands down the best I have ever
had in my long school career. There are
days when I realize how lucky I am that I
chose Pierce. I am not the only one benefiting
from my choices; my son is too.
Sometimes, while driving to school I
wonder how I ever thought I needed to
be someone other than myself. Looking
back, I realize I believed that happiness
was not really an option for me. My son
made me happy in ways I never knew.
His love made me feel lovable.
How wonderful it is that I am the artist
I always wanted to be and have a wonderful
son with me on my journey. My life
might not have turned out the exact way
I dreamed, but in many ways it is much
better.
Diane Russell and her son
Alyssa Wilkins/Staff Photo
16 / piercepioneernews.com
March 4, 2019 / Vol. 52, Issue 5

THE
PIONEER
COME WORK
WITH US!
Photographer
Photographer Responsibilities:
In the role of photographer, you get to take photos of campus events,
students and other story-related content. Creative expression is your
inspiration! Photography is the #1 most desired graphic content.
Candee Bell, a photographer, enjoys her job at “The Pioneer.”
“Photographs are the first thing readers see when they open the
Pioneer Magazine. As a Photographer, I’m able to give our readers a visual
reference to help immerse them into a story. It’s also a great way to gain
your internship hours and have fun while making a few extra dollars.”
Writer Responsibilities:
As a writer, you get the chance to decide what content is in our magazine!
By creating stories and giving the students a voice at Pierce College, you
fulfill “The Pioneer” mission statement.
Caleb Hensin is a staff writer here at “The Pioneer.” He has been part
of the team intermittently since fall quarter of 2015.
Writer
Designer Responsibilities:
Designer
A designer creates the visuals, art and design aspects of the magazine.
You get to decide how pages look. With guided creativity, you can let your
passion for art and design flow freely!
Diane Russell, a designer, enjoys her job at “The Pioneer.”
“I fullfill my internship hours while preparing for my dream job/career,
she said. “I like working at ‘The Pioneer’ because I enjoy being part of a
team and sharpening my design skills.”
THIS COULD BE YOU!
STOP BY OUR OFFICE AND APPLY TODAY!
We are located in CAS 323
For questions about specific positions, please stop by or contact pioneer@pierce.ctc.edu
March 4, 2019 / Vol. 52, Issue 5 piercepioneernews.com / 17

From March Madness,
page 15
youth. Sophomore Jaylen Nowell
leads the Huskies with 16.4 points
and 5.4 rebounds.
Nationally, the Duke Blue
Devils are another strong contender.
Freshman Zion Williamson,
averages 22 points and 9.4
rebounds per game. Another freshman,
R.J. Barrett paces the team with 23 points
and 7.2 rebounds per game. The Blue
Devils are currently 23-2, ranked No. 2 in
the country.
Reign Hartman, a student at Pierce
College, has been impressed by Duke this
year.
“I watch Duke because of Zion (Williamson),”
Hartman said. “I love the fact
that he still dunks on people even though
they’re really good athletes, and he’s an
Coffee Break
overall beast.”
On the women’s side the Baylor Bears
are the top ranked team in the country
at 23-1 . They are led by senior center
Kalani Brown, who averages 16.3 points
per game and 7.5 rebounds.
They will face a strong opposition from
the University of Connecticut Huskies,
who are ranked No. 5 in the country.
The Huskies are led by senior Napheesa
Collier, who chips in 19.8 points and 10.2
rebounds per game.
The Bears will look for their first
championship since 2012, while the Huskies
will look for their first since 2016,
when they capped off a streak of four
titles in a row.
On the west coast, the Oregon Ducks
lead the way as the No. 3 ranked team in
the country at 24-1. Junior Sabrina Ionescu
leads the way averaging 19.7 points
and 7.2 rebounds for the Ducks. They
will look to build off of their top eight
finish in last year’s tournament.
Max Anderson, a student at Pierce
College, has bittersweet memories from
tournaments of the past.
“I am a huge Kentucky fan, and my
favorite year was when they went undefeated
but lost in the championship,”
Anderson said. “That was heartbreaking,
but I loved the run in college basketball
they had for about six or seven years”
With seeding still to come, teams will
look to head into the tournament strong,
playing their best basketball at the right
time. Seeding and brackets will be officially
set on March 17.
HALLWAY HASSLE
MARCH MADNESS:
“WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE COLLEGE SPORTS TEAM? WHO DO YOU
THINK WILL MAKE IT TO THE FINAL FOUR?”
“Duke, Duke Blue Devils.”
“All four teams? Duke,
North Carolina, Gonzaga and
Tennessee is probably the
four.”
“My favorite men’s Basketball
team for college is UW...”
“I think that the UW men’s
basketball team will make
it to the final four because I
remember one year, awhile
ago, we almost did good.”
“Taxes Longhorns.”
“The Final Four will be the
Virginia Cavaliers, Duke,
Taxes, and Gonzaga.”
- EZEKIEL CARLSON - JOSEPH RASMUSSEN - YANG YANG
18
/ piercepioneernews.com
March 4, 2019 / Vol. 52, Issue 5

Cartoon Corner
Coffee Break
Studious
A Desire To Be... ______________
created by Karley Wise
March 4, 2019 / Vol. 52, Issue 5 piercepioneernews.com / 19

How do you like your movie popcorn?
1. Which actor or actress won Best Actor/Actress award for playing opposite sex?
2. Who was the first female director to win award for Best Motion Picture?
After you have written out your answers,
check the answer key below to see
how many you got right.
3. From which Queen song did Lady Gaga create her stage name?
4. The Wakanda scenes in “Black Panther” were shot in the Cape region of South
Africa, native home of Nelson Mandala. True or false?
5. How many Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movies have grossed over $1
billion?
6. Who said, “The streets of heaven are too crowded with angels; we know their
names.” in his Academy Award acceptance speech?
7. The Live Aid concert scene in the movie “Bohemian Rhapsody” was
shot on location at Wembley Stadium in England. True or false?
1-3 right answers: Your bag of
popcorn is plain.
3-6 right answers: Your popcorn has
butter
All answers are correct: Your popcorn
comes with a soda
Bonus: Unlimited refills
Answers: 1. Linda Hunt for “The Year Of Living Dangerously” (1982) 2. Kathyrn Bigelow won twice. The first was for “The Hurt Locker”
(2008); the second was for “Zero Dark Thirty” (2012) 3. “Radio Ga Ga” 4. False – they were shot on a film set in Georgia (the state, not the
country). 5. Five – “The Avengers” (2012), “Iron Man 3” (2013), “Avengers: Age of Ultron” (2015), “Captain America: Civil War” (2016) and “Black
Panther” (2018) 6. Tom Hanks, Best Lead Actor in “Philadelphia” (1994) 7. This is a trick question. The movie recreation scene was shot on an exact
replica set of Wembley Stadium set up at Bovingdon Airfield. Bonus point if you said the movie scene was taken from the concert’s live footage.
BA
Starting Fall 2019
Science Math High
Demand
Earn your Bachelor’s degree, Teaching Certification and two high demand endorsements
in Middle Level Mathematics and Science in 6 quarters (after your community college DTA
with approved prerequisites) at CWU-Des Moines, located at Highline College.
Kurt Ikemeier,
Regional Director
IkemeierK@cwu.edu
206-439-3800 x3866
cwu.edu/teachstem/des-moines
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CWU is an EEO/AA/Title IX Institution. For accommodation email: DS@cwu.edu.
March 4, 2019 / Vol. 52, Issue 5