Photo by: Caitlin Chavez of the 2021 Davenport Derby Some of the couches from last year's Davenport Derby are back! But, which sofas survived? Last year’s Derby was an energetic event for Simpson students where each dorm floor decorated their own couch with a theme of their choice. And race against their dorm floor opponents around Simpson Boulevard to win 1st place. There were different themed couches such as a Shrek couch, a fudge brownie, a Christmas couch, a cow couch, and others. With the Davenport Derby 2022 right around the corner on October 14, some of the students have been wondering, a few common questions about the past couch potatoes: Where are they now? Do they live among us? Will we see them again this year? Are we using brand new couches? Sarah Jobson, the Associate Dean of Campus Life shared that a few of the couches from last year did make the cut to go another round. They’re in good condition without severe damage from the decorating process or racing. Most importantly for any race, they will be getting brand new feet! “We’re changing the wheels from last year. So, everyone’s got brand new wheels”, said Jobson. The other couches would not make the cut due to weathering, and damage that wouldn’t last. “They just weren’t fit for a second round of racing," said Simpson student and RA, Justine Crassweller. The couches are waiting in better condition than before in Simpson’s storage to be taken out and drafted by students for their floor on Oct. 6 for the Davenport Derby’s Draft. For this year’s Davenport Derby, Jobson is hoping students will have a good time! “And if we can provide that with food, music, hosts, and racing couches?!” said Jobson. Since this is our 2nd year running this fun event, she also hopes to build on the excitement from it and to continue building that excitement.

Photo by: Kia Flack; (2nd) Caitlin Chavez “A Fair Amount of Community” By Caitlin Chavez The Community Fair turned out to be one of the most engaging events for students and representatives involved that Simpson has ever had. On Sept. 14, the Community Fair was the place to be at Simpson University for students to explore many opportunities for connection and volunteering with different churches, organizations, and places offering employment. To name a few, we had Pathway Church, 511 Enterprises, Our Heart Global Boutique, Gather Church, Dutch Bros, The Stirring, and many more! Each group has come up with fun ways to connect with students through giveaways, fun activities, and yummy snacks! “It was very engaging for them”, Jessie Wolske, the Simpson University staff member said. We even had a balloon artist creating balloon art for students and families. Did I mention we had ponies? You heard that right, we had ponies join us as well. Simpson student, Miranda Gutierrez was a student who went to the Community Fair and shared her experience. “I felt comfortable approaching each organization and asking them questions about their mission”, Gutierrez said. This event was a little different this year because Simpson University had not combined churches and other representatives together into one event for students, until that day. “We wanted to give our students a diverse experience, and we tried to encourage churches that students might not have under their radar or just might not typically be represented as well”, said Wolske. Wolske shared with us that both the church event and opportunity event were two separate events on different days and times. The church event would take place during lunch while the opportunity event took place in the evening. Now that the two were combined into one event during chapel hour, it gave students an opportunity for them to interact with the representatives easier than during lunch or in the evening.

Photo by: Ronald Bolling Jr “Brace your Bellies, Food Committee is here” By Ronald Bolling Jr. Simpson Students’ Stomachs Have Been Heard, as Food Committee has been formed! Yes, you heard it right. Simpson University has its own food committee, and no it’s not a bunch of snobs reviewing the food in the Cafeteria. It is some familiar faces on campus: Emma Seitz (Women's Volleyball), Gianna Smith (ASBSU Vice President), Quinn Wright (Men’s Volleyball), and Sarah Jobson (Associate Dean of Campus Life). The Food Committee was very polite and let me join their meeting. The meeting showed that the Simpson Cafeteria is in good hands. Students should know that their requests are being heard, not just going in one ear and out the other. The committee is very open to ideas and requests. The committee had a notepad to write down the changes that could be made. I had the opportunity to chip in on ideas that I had. They were very interested in what I had to say, even when I was just there to listen and report. This showed me that they take this Committee very seriously and want everyone's input. John Daniels, Director Of Sage Dining sat with me for an interview, and I have to say that Simpson University Caf is in good hands. Daniels expressed that he wants students to know the so-called “stigma” of students not being able to come to him or any staff members in the caf is not true. He expressed that the Cafeteria is a safe space where you can express your feelings, requests, and also complaints. “The one thing we want to steer away from is that we stop learning, we never stop learning, especially in the food service business we constantly learn and learn from you guys,” Daniels stated. Daniels expressed he never wants to stay stagnant. He wants to learn more and get as much input as he can. Daniels is very friendly and hospitable, understanding the transition from high school to college can make it hard for students to share their input. Daniels stated he wants to continue to keep Simpson University feeling like a family. Daniels has been in the business for a long time. I asked him what was the most absurd thing a person has ever requested. “It was to use Frozen Vegetables,” Daniels replied. We had a big laugh about that, it really shows all requests are heard even if some of them don’t make a whole lot of sense. I asked Daniels what would he have on the menu if he could choose, and this is where his humbleness reached its origin story. “I'm very simple, I grew up very simple,” Daniel stated. He expressed that there is not anything that is not already on the menu he wouldn’t already add on the menu. Daniels may like it simple in his own life but not for his students. He wants students to feel comfortable and at home in the Caf, and not just get a to go box, but to sit down, relax and socialize. I asked Daniels what is something that he wishes students knew. “I think if students knew, if they truly knew, like my passion is to be here and walk in here as a job, but we're here as a service,” Daniels stated. Students of Simpson University your stomachs have been heard and now you can send your requests to the Food Committee Review Team by emailing Noah Bryerton with your request.

Photo by: Timea Horvath “All Roads Lead to Simpson” By Timea Horvath Simpson University may be small in numbers, but it is large in diversity. Just this year 32 nations are represented on our campus, and 10% of the whole student body is international. That is an achievement worth being proud of. What is it like to be an international student moving to Redding? Freshman and Business major Alfonso Del Pino Carvajal traveled all the way from Madrid, Spain to attend Simpson University and play golf competitively. The decision to leave all your friends and family behind and move to a completely new place is never easy, but Carvajal says it was worth it. “Simpson University has been very nice to me,” he said. “I have always felt part of the university because my Admissions Advisor Sam Crawford, Antonio Dos Santos, President Hall, students, and Coach Phillips have been very good to me.” Being an international student at Simpson is not always easy. They face many difficulties that Americans rarely think about. For many of the students, English is not their first language, which can make the simplest tasks very difficult. Constantly communicating in a foreign language can be incredibly tiring. Moreover, there are times when the feeling of homesickness hits, and you feel like you just want to go back to your home country. “My biggest difficulty has been to plan perfectly my schedule or time management because I didn’t know there were going to be so many assignments,” said Carvajal. Simpson University’s international admissions office offers professional help to foreign students especially during the most difficult first couple of weeks. International Admissions Counselor, Samuel Crawford, listed the main areas in which they help students. “Currently, there are two primary campus services offered specifically for international students. The first is international advising offered by the registrar’s office. This includes assisting students in all SEVIS status related questions, CPT, and OPT,” Crawford said. International students live in the US thanks to their student visas. They must go through a lot of paperwork to get a job on campus or be able to stay in the country after graduation. “The second service is offered by the international admissions office to all our new international students,” he said. “Rides to campus are offered to students arriving at the Redding Airport, trips to the store to pick up items needed for their dorm move-in, assistance opening a bank account or setting up a US phone number, etc.” There is still some room to grow. With more and more international students on campus, there is also a bigger need for help in new ways, such as a shuttle bus to go downtown. Most international students do not own a car in the US which makes it difficult for them to move around town and get groceries or other necessities. There is hope for improvement as Crawford explained that Simpson University is aiming to grow in these areas. Simpson University’s international section keeps expanding each year. Alongside this are the new services provided to the incoming foreign students. This will hopefully convince even more internationals to choose Simpson over the more than 5,000 different colleges and universities in the US.

By: Armando Barcenas With another year of the Oscars, superstar Will Smith wins best actor and best picture and goes viral. Actor Smith had a very eventful night at the Oscars. He Made headline by winning 2 awards and Slapping Chris Rock. Every year the Oscars is a newsworthy headline but this year Its viral with lots of publications focusing on the incident revolving around the Great slap of the night. The incident was sparked by a joke by Chris Rock. Rock Joking stated, “Jada I love, GI Jane 2 can’t wait to see it.” With the joke that brought the crowd to laugh got Smith to rise out of his chair mid show and proceeded to slap Rock during his speech following with derogatory tone telling him to keep his wife’s name out of his mouth. This interaction left the audience astonished or confused if it was part of the show or not. This event overshadowed the whole show causing. The discussion of smith's actions. His actions have taken priority over what happened that night and have overshadowed the work of those who were nominees. With such a series of events taking place it brings up questions like the morality of the situation, were they both in the wrong or just will smith and will there be consequences. Well, no charges were placed by Chris Rock, but will the academy awards give disciplinary actions? Well, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences condemned Smith's actions and stated “"We have officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct and California law." The Actions of Smith have been viewed by the world and should not be replicated. Viewers should view this as a lesson of what not to do for action like his will have more consequences if performed in a different situation. Here at Simpson, we are taught the ways of the Cristian faith and no were in the courses required do not teach us to respond with violence when provoked. Will smith has also come forth and has condemned his own action stating ““I have directly responded to the Academy’s disciplinary hearing notice, and I will fully accept all consequences for my conduct. My actions at the 94th Academy Awards presentation were shocking, painful, and inexcusable” After Witnessing this unfortunate event we as people should not look at his action but listen to his words for, he has disappointed himself and others and choose to repent for what he has done.

By: Louis Down Some movies are worthy of a visit to the big screen, whereas others are okay to wait for the DVD. The new Batman film, directed by Matt Reeves, starring Robert Pattinson and Zoe Kravitz, is a movie well worth a trip to the cinema. If you’re going to go watch ‘The Batman’ it would be wise to order the extra-large buttery popcorn and to resist finishing your drink before the credits are over as the film runs for two hours and fifty-six minutes. As a fan of long films, I liked that when I thought that the film had finished there was whole another segment to the film, keeping viewers on the rollercoaster for just a bit longer. The film was dark, both cinematically in the way it was shot and the theme. The storyline of the movie followed Batman, played by Robert Pattinson, and Cat Woman, played by Zoe Kravitz as they attempted to stop the Riddler. Although sadistically evil, the protagonist of The Riddler was great as he had viewers on the edge of their seats as they attempted to silently decipher his riddles as he murdered and exposed corrupt politicians throughout the city of Gotham. In today’s society where there is very little trust in the government and a plethora of stories regarding corrupt politicians. Whilst watching the film, one naturally may make a juxtaposition between the storyline and some of the things that take place in today’s society. Not all viewers were thrilled with what they saw on screen. Simpson soccer team goalkeeper, Eddie Cuervas, recently went and watched the film and shared his thoughts, “If I had known it was going to be that mid, I would have never watched it. The Dark Knight is 10x better.” The prior Batman films, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises were all very successful films. With Batman films having such high standards and a rich history of quality movies, this new Batman some big shoes to fill. However, Amund Morin, who Is not a large film enthusiast and hasn’t seen the prior Batman films and shared his thoughts on the new film. “I went in not knowing what to expect. It was long but with how much I was enjoying the film I was glad it was long, because I didn’t want it to end.” Covid caused several movies to go straight to streaming platforms and bypassing the theatre. The industry has been hit hard and there have been fears of movie theatres dying out. The Batman does a good job at displaying the advantages and importance of still being able to experience great cinematography on the big screen I highly recommend anyone thinking about watching the film to watch and experience it on the big screen. I rate it 8.7/10

By: Cole McMahon A three-credit class where most of your time is spent outside. That is what you get from the Outdoor Living Skills class that Professor Scott Barnett teaches. With relatively no homework, this can be a perfect elective to take when you need to fill your schedule. The many skills you get from this class include knot tying, building fires, chopping wood, building tents, cooking food on fire, packing gear for camping/backpacking, etc. For most of this class you will be outside learning these skills. When you are inside, Professor Barnett teaches you about choosing the right gear for outdoor activities, how to pack correctly, and how to determine different weather patterns. All the skills learned in the semester will prepare students for the big "project” in the class, which is a weekend camping trip where the skills will be used. Mark Balleza, a student in the Outdoor Living Skills class as well as an Outdoor Leadership major, enjoys the class because of the “hands on” activities introduced in the course. After going on the class camping trip Balleza said, “I thought this gave me a good idea of what I can do.” This being Balleza’s first time on a camping trip in many years he believes he “can build off of it,” putting his experiences towards his major in the future. However, Outdoor Living Skills is not just aimed at students in the Outdoor Leadership major, but for all students who want to try a new experience. “Lots of students would benefit from time outdoors. One, because we have the beauty of God’s creation around us,” said Barnett. If there is one thing that Outdoor Living Skills can teach students, it is to get out of their comfort zones by trying something new. Barnett believes, “people need to get out of their comfort zone a little bit and experience things that are sometimes a little challenging and sometimes uncomfortable.” With only six students enrolled for the class this Spring semester, Professor Barnett would not mind taking on more students willing to join the class and have these eye-opening experiences that happen in the course. Students wanting a unique class experience, Barnett said, “For students who maybe need a break from things that are more specifically academic that want something that’s a little bit more hands on and active, rather than just sitting and listening to lectures [Outdoor Living Skills], then I think it’s a really good class for you.” To contact Dr. Barnett about questions regarding the Outdoor Living Skills class, email him at sbarnett@simpsonu.edu

By: Timea Horvath Who doesn’t enjoy a peaceful evening with a good movie to watch? A movie with an interesting story to tell, attention-grabbing cinematography and our favorite actors. Since we are all students in California, it would be difficult not to talk about the Oscars, which were happening only 500 miles away from Redding. This year’s Oscars ceremony was nothing like the ones before. The story of Will Smith slapping Chris Rock is all over the internet and it seems like everyone has an opinion on it. On the other hand, there aren’t many people discussing the awards that have been given to movie producers, actors, and others involved in this field, even though they are the reasons why the Oscars are held each year. And to receive an Oscar is an incredible achievement and a big honor. Still, not many college students are watching the movies that have received Oscars or were nominated for them. According to New York Times and CNBC there is an ongoing decline of people watching award shows, one of which being the Oscars. “Last year the broadcast experienced record low ratings, bringing in a mere of 9.8 million viewers. Just eight years ago, the Oscars nabbed more than 40 million viewers,” CNN Business shared. College students are a big part of the decline, as many of us do not watch TV anymore. While it is understandable that with such a big number of assignments, or practices most of us do not have three hours to watch the Oscars, it would be nice if we at least knew this year’s nominees and winners. So, who won this year? The award for actor in leading role went to Will Smith for his role of Richard Williams in the movie “King Richard.” After the drama of him slapping Chris Rock many people were thinking if the Academy would take his Oscar, however, they have decided that he could keep it. Jessica Chastain won best actress in a leading role for playing Tammy Faye Bakker in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” While her name may not be as familiar as Will Smith’s, most of us know her for her roles in “Interstellar” or “X-Men: Dark Phoenix.” The winner of best animated feature film was the movie “Encanto,” which most of us have seen and like. Another movie that was relatively popular among the younger generation, mostly college students, is Dune. It received multiple Oscar awards, for the best cinematography, film editing, music (original score) by Hans Zimmer, production design, sound, and visual effects. The award of best music (original song) went to “No Time to Die” from the newest James Bond movie. A lot of people were wondering why “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” wasn’t nominated, as it was number 1 song in the US for weeks. There is a reason for it. According to BBC “The Oscars' submission deadline for this category was 1 November. But Encanto wasn't released until three weeks later - 21 November. As a result, Disney were in the delicate position of trying to predict which song from the film would connect the most with the public before any of the public had actually seen it.” The company had no way of predicting the success that “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” amassed over the past couple of months. This year’s Oscars ceremony was certainly one of a kind and will be remembered for a long time, hopefully not only because of the drama around Will Smith and Chris Rock.

By: Christian Valdez Money might be coming your way through Gavin Newsom’s plan to combat the frightening rise of gas prices in California. Governor Newsom plans to provide $11 billion to California residents according to the Office of Governor Gavin Newsome. The California Governor wants to not only support those struggling, but he also wants to work at, “Advancing clean transportation–providing three months of free public transportation, fast-tracking electric vehicle incentives and charging stations, and new funding for local biking and walking projects.” Time will only tell if these projects will help subvert the crisis. Newsom has also proposed that Californians should receive $400 for owning a vehicle for a max of two cars according to his office. This means that some Simpson students and staff may be walking away with up to $800 if their vehicles’ are registered to them. Newsom is promising relief for Californians, but the plan needs to be approved by the State Legislature. Leaders of the Senate and of the Assembly have also proposed plans that will definitely be taken into consideration according to the Los Angeles Times. With this in mind, there may be some time before Californians receive relief. What can you do in the meantime? It may not be a bad idea to consider carpooling with others in order to save money. Walking or biking to the store may be a more cost effective outlet. These are possible substitutes to consider, but they are not always feasible. Although gas prices are at an all-time high, finding the cheapest option can be really beneficial for students and staff financially. The cost at the pump is as high as $5.99 per gallon at Chevron according to autoblog.com. The cheapest option in Redding is $5.19 at Clear Creek Market according to autoblog.com. Check out autoblog.com to find the best gas prices near you. These times can be especially difficult for our students who are commuters. Freshman, Daniel Martin, travels back and forth from school every day. A single trip to school can be as long as thirty minutes for Martin. Martin details that he has to fill up twice a week and it costs $50 to fill up. The present predicament that our nation is in has Martin reminiscing about spending under $3 per gallon to fill up. Martin illustrates that he is taking a “more conservative” approach to driving now, which is something we should all embrace even with help on the horizon.

By: Caleb Gonzalez-Melendez Simpson University students are predominantly white, yet the campus is more diverse than the entire county. 2 years ago Simpson University had little to no representation for the several ethnic groups and nationalities that were part of the Simpson student body. Now within Simpson there are the established clubs for the several races and nationalities that work to share their cultures. Simpson University has Asian , Hispanic, and Black clubs that are solely committed to bringing awareness, and showing pride in a diverse manner to the group it represents on campus. These clubs are a way for students to understand the cultures that are all over the University and appreciate the world that we live in, expanding students' knowledge, and understand where their friends, roommates, and teammates came from Black Simpson University club (BSU) member Ron Bollings states “BSU has helped me connect with my culture, express appreciation, and be proud of who I am, which I think is what my ancestors would want.” Simpson University Hispanic club (SU Vida) member Rosas Espinoza said “Participating in SU Vida has become a conduit through which I am able to share my culture and past experiences as a youth community leader. In SU vida I can express my Mexican culture with other Hispanic cultures.” Rosa passionately stated “ In the club’s future, I hope to open the club to more students on campus so that students may know journeys and interact through activities to engage in components foreign so that we can integrate into a diverse future”. Each Club plans events with the hopes of including the Simpson University community as a whole with each club creating inspiration and potential additions are endless. Ron emphasized “I want to see every group of people have their club on campus. If you're European, if you're African, if you're Asian, I want to learn and everyone should be proud to show where they came from.” Simpson University is passionate about world service and reaching out to the community and exposing students to every nation, tribe and tongue as God's people. Simpson University Diverse clubs help students feel connected to their roots even if they are not native to the United States. Diversity is a part of life and Simpson University is very diverse but united in school spirit. With the rising student population more unique cultures come and an opportunity to expand as a community becomes more likely.

By: Andrew Galindo Simpson athletes give a synopsis of what it is like to be an athlete and what it takes to stay in shape during the season and offseason. With Simpson population being mostly athletes, this article will present what a day in the life of those athletes looks like. The morning is the most important part of the day for athletes, it really dictates your whole day because if you are not well rested you might set yourself up for failure. Recovery is a big part in athletes' lives and sleep is the biggest contributor to a good recovery. Simpson’s very own pro-baseball player Connor Wytko gave us his breakdown of his morning. “I focus a lot on recovery, so I like to wake up at 830. Eat some breakfast and if I have class go to that. If not, I’ll try to get ahead on some homework or take some relaxation time before I start my day.” If an athlete has free time before team practice, they will get out there early to get some work in before. Whether that is stretching, conditioning, or fundamentals. The greatest athletes in the world do not just rely on practice with the team. They also put time in when nobody is looking and that is a part of what makes them great. “I usually get out there about an hour and a half before to get through my full routine and to get my mind ready, to flip a switch from everyday life to baseball.” says Wytko. His hard work and dedication have gotten Wytko places, this Summer he will be playing independent baseball up in Oregon for the Campesinos de Salem-Keizer. Wytko’s past two seasons at Simpson have been solid, batting over .300 both seasons. “My favorite thing about Simpson is the relationships I've made, and I like the guys on the team a lot and we all get along. So, its fun getting the opportunity to play baseball with people you like.

By: Eric Norris Out of the eight teams that traveled to Redding, California, all left disappointed. A few teams left more frustrated than others such as the home team, the Simpson Red Hawks. Every year the location changes to each team’s home course, this year it was played at Gold Hills course. Naturally, the men’s and women’s golf teams practiced five days a week studying meticulously each hole of the course, in the end it wouldn’t be enough. Even with the home course advantage the Red Hawks were faced with more talented schools such as the Embry-Riddle Eagles, Providence Christian College, Benedictine University- Mesa, Park University- Gibert and Marymount College. The Red Hawks beat two schools, CSU-Maritime and Sierra Nevada College. Unfortunately for the women, they did not make a full team and had to play as individuals versus the field. The first day of the tournament, the worst factor that plagued every team was the wind. The week before the tournament, it was a warm, sunny 85 degrees, but today it was 58 degrees and 25-30 mph gusts that never stopped. In many collegiate NAIA tournaments, the low round of the first day would be around even par or -1, but the low round on Monday shot by two players was +4, 76. Trevor Lewis from the Eagles and Cameron Hedge from Benedictine according to golfstat.com. The Red Hawks teed off later in the morning and dealt with the wind quite a bit more resulting in higher scores. The best of these higher scores would come from first-year Andrew Scott scoring a 93, +21. After the round he said, “Even at my home course, that wind made me feel so out of sync. I struggled to control the ball flight.” Day’s two and three proposed nicer weather for both the men and women but not nicer scores. The Red Hawks greatly struggled with pitch shots around the greens more than anything. They were never used to the greens firming up as much as they were. During the year while tournaments were not happening, the putting greens would be soft and spiny for the players to get a lot of check up on shots, meaning the ball would stop sooner. But during the tournament many players besides the Red Hawks relied too much on trying to make the ball spin, which wouldn’t work because the greens were too firm. The Cal Pac didn’t go as planned even with the amount of preparation that was put in. Jaxon Moon, another first-year student, summarized his rounds by saying, “The course played harder than what I was used to. I usually have easy shots into greens where I can make low scores, but I didn't execute well.” For the men they finished as followed out of 40 players, T18th Andrew Scott +32, 24th Felipe Ferreira, 29th Jaxon Moon +59, 30th Eric Norris +67, 31st Phillip Boit +69. For the women they finished as followed out of 31 players, 10th Arianna Castaneda +59, T11th Mya Chao +60, 14th Michelle Eaun +63.