Highline Community College men’s basketball team (15-1, 20-7) clinched the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC) Western Division crown on Saturday in a win against Pierce College, 81-78.

“We got the win under tough circumstances,” said Head Coach Ché Dawson. “I’m really proud of the kids for remaining focused, night and day, on winning the division title.”

In addition to the division title, Dawson was named the NWAACC’s Western Division Coach of the Year.

“It’s a nice honor, but it’s really a team and coaching staff honor,” Dawson said. “It reflects our outstanding team, assistant coaches and athletic director.”

The Thunderbirds go into this week’s NWAACC championships as the No. 2 seed in the Horizon Air final overall basketball polls, with Clackamas Community College, of Portland, Ore., taking the top spot.

The Thunderbirds first game in the tournament is against Eastern Division’s fourth-ranked Columbia Basin Community College, of Pasco, Wash., at 2 p.m. March 5 in Kennewick, Wash.

Highline Community College was founded in 1961 as the first community college in King County. With approximately 10,000 students and 350,000 alumni, it is one of the state’s largest institutions of higher education. The college offers a wide range of academic transfer and professional-technical education programs, with day, evening, online and weekend classes.

With the most diverse population of any college in Washington state, Highline takes a multicultural approach to education for the success of all its students and the prosperity of its surrounding communities. Alumni include former Seattle Mayor Norm Rice, entrepreneur Junki Yoshida, Washington state poet laureate Sam Green and Boston Celtics forward Brian Scalabrine.

The 5th Annual Hip-Hop Summit is returning to Highline Community College on Thursday Feb. 26th and Friday, Feb. 27th, and it should be an all gravy, all raw, bustin’ time (in other words…it’ll be all good).

Here’s are the details:

Some believe that hip-hop is dead.

According to Northwest based hip-hop group, Blue Scholars, “it’s not, it’s just malnourished and underfed.” True story. Hip-hop music and culture is continuously thriving and evolving. Since its inception, each day has been a stepping stone for this multifaceted channel of expression.

On February 26 and 27, 2009, Highline Community College presents “The Hip-Hop Summit.” A two day long event showcasing a culture defined by creativity, diversity, knowledge and evolution.

Help us gain strength in our movement and spread the word.

Hip-hop don’t stop!

WHAT: Hip Hop Summit, to be held over two days:

WHEN:

THURSDAY, FEB. 26th:

• 9:00am-9:50am: The History & Evolution of Hip-Hop with King Khazm (founder of Zulu Nation-Seattle Chapter, Hip Hop emcee & activist) in Mt. Constance Room
• 10:00am-11:30am: Keynote: Hip Hop Politics with Dr. Tricia Rose of Brown University in Mt. Constance Room
• 12:00pm-1:30pm: Panel Discussion: Misconceptions of Hip-Hop in Mt. Constance Room

FRIDAY, FEB. 27th:

• 10:00am-10:50am: Art Showcase in Mt. Constance Room
• 11:00am-12:00pm: ICC – Poetry Lounge and Open Mic in Mt. Constance Room
• 7pm: Doors Open at Mt. Townsend Room Stage: 2 v. 2 Break Battle, With Performances by:
  • So HyDef
  • Nam
  • Khingz
  • Gabriel Teodros
  • The Parker Brothers
  • Common Market

WHERE: Highline Community College Student Union (Building 8), located at 2400 S. 240th St, Des Moines, WA 98198 (map below)

COST: Highline Students $5, General Admission $10

INFO: Highline Community College Events Calendar

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Highline Community College will be doing what it can to resuscitate the local unemployment rate by holding a Health Care Job Fair on Wednesday, Mar. 4th in the student union building on its main campus.

It’s sponsored by HCC’s Workforce Development Services, and Employers from the Puget Sound area will be recruiting for jobs in many health care related fields, including:

• Nursing
• Respiratory care
• Medical assisting
• Medical transcriptionist
• Phlebotomy
• Polysomnographic technology
• Optician-licensed dispensing
• Chemical dependency

Here are the details:

WHAT: Health Care Job Fair

WHEN: Wednesday, March 4th, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

WHERE: Highline Community College’s main campus, Highline Student Union (Building 8), 2nd floor;Highline’s main campus is located midway between Seattle and Tacoma at South 240th Street and Pacific Highway South (Highway 99); address: 2400 S. 240th St., Des Moines, WA 98198.

COST: FREE and open to the public

INFO: Employers scheduled to participate include Advanced Health Care, Cascade Regional Blood Services, Good Samaritan Hospital, Regency Pacific, Sea Mar Community Health Centers, Valley Medical Center and Virginia Mason Medical Center.

The job fair coincides with Highline’s Health Information Fair, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Highline Student Union, 1st floor. The information fair features student booths that explore health-related issues and booths that highlight Highline’s health care programs.

SPONSOR: HCC’s Workforce Development Services

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