Clackamas Community College, Oregon City, OR
.
Volume 45, Issue 4
The Clackamas Print
An independent, student-run newspaper since 1966
www.TheClackamasPrint.com
Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2011
Wrestling revisits
team success
By Katie Aamatti
The Clackamas Print
Clackamas wrestler, Trent Noon, (pictured right) struggles to keep his opponent from holding him
down. Last season the team made it to Nationals, where they managed to p la te first, despite losing a
key team member, Tarrence Williams, to an unexpected injury a t the last minute.
W ith " the first, ^ jo stlin g
meet, the Mike - happen^
ing oh Nov. 6, .Clackamas
Community College’s wres­
tling team takes the time to
remember the success of last
season and map out their
individual and team goals
once again.
This
past
February
in . Spokane, Wash.j the
Clackamas national team won
/h e NJCAA title for the first
time since 1971, after over­
coming a plethora of bumps
and bruises on their way to
victory.
During the quarterfinals in
Spokane, the Cougars lost All-
American Tarrence Williams,
who wrestled in the 174
weight class to an injury, leav­
ing five of the National team’s
10 individuals in the semifi­
nals; Such an unexpected loss
has the potential to break a
team’s focus but that wasn’t
the case for the Cougars. As
the weekend went on, the
guys came closer together and
rallied for their teammate.
“If someone were to tell
us beforehand that we were
going to Tose [Williams] and
still win Nationals, we would
have been like, “N o way, not
possible,”’ said, Head Coach
Josh Rhoden. “[But] as the
weekend went on: you could
see the guys really come
together. It’s a show of how
far we could pome and the
bond of our team in just two
months.”
Filling, the shoes of those
who havem ovedon after last
season áre returning sopho­
more All-Americans Martin
Gonzalez and Matt Melendrez
and sophomore Eric Luna,
among others. Gonzalez
(133);' who is nationally
ranked in th e to p three and
Melendrez (157) both placed
4th at Nationals last season.
• “[Luna] practiced as a red
shirt last season and we’re
looking forward to seeing him
back in action,” said Rhoden.
Williams w ill be returning
this year to the team, taking
the place that Luna had last
year as a red shirt.
Please see WRESTLING, Page €
Former CCC student Aaron Burton talks about journey to NASA
By Robert Morrison
The Clackamas Print
“I really love my j o b / I
love getting up and going to.
my job,” Said Aaron Burton,
NASA employee.
Not many people get the
chanceto say that they enjoy
their job everyday on their
way to work, Burton Is one
of the few that can. His'work
is something really loves to
do and he found that love
at Clackamas* Community
College.
On Tuesday Oct. 26,
CCC had the rare opportu­
nity to host one of America’s
proudest
undertakings,
NASA (National Aeronautics
and Space Administration).
Former CCC student Burton
paid the school a visit to his
previous -chemistry teacher,’
Nick Hamel. Burton is a post­
doctoral researcher for NASA.
Hamel ■ and Burton orga­
nized a presentation in which
Burton would speak about his
journey from CCC to NASA
as well as how Burton had
to take many roads to get to
where he was going; The pre-,
Mentation brought in a group
of over 20 students and staff.
“Students will see how
transfer' of classes from CCC
directly lead to four-year col­
lege success,” stated Hamel
before the event in an email.
u
It’s only by giving
things a chance and
coming across it
later in life that you
find out you really
like it.”
Aaron Burton
NASA Scientist
“As a student he was a class
leader, directing discussions,
leading group Work and help­
ing others work out diffi­
culties/’;. Hamel was Burton’s
teacher in three different
chemistry. classes from 2001>
2002 in which he eventually
graduated with his Associate
of Arts with honors.
Burton grew up locally in
Estacada where he went to
high school. At that
point in his life,
he wanted' to
be a com- -
puter | pro-'
g ram m e U S
He went to S
Oregon State
U n iv e rs ity ,
Clackamas and
P o r 1 1 a n d
S t a te
University
majoring
in many
a r e a s
in c lu d ­
ing math, computer pro­
gramming and biochemistry.
When Burton attended CCC
fie found his love for chemis-
try which lead to him getting
his associate of arts transfer
degree. Burton received his
Ph.£> in biochemistry from
PSD. Burton took a few years
off from school, which he
spent stocking shelves.
Please see NASA, Page 5
Joshua Dillen The Clackamas Print
Athletes employed
as coaches, officials
Page 6