11OPINION

Oct. 28 - Nov. 10, 2013 www.lcc.edu/lookout Staff Editorial

Stock up on Halloween safety tips

Halloween is just around the corner, and that means its time to stock up not only on delicious candy, but safety tips as well. For parents with young trickor-treaters, Halloween can present a frightening time full of uncertainty and risks. Children should always be accompanied by a parent or guardian while trick-or-treating If you let your teenagers trickor-treat on their own, make sure they know not to enter any houses for treats. Only approach homes with the front porch light on. Make sure your kids are as visible as possible to avoid any accidents with drivers. Whether that means giving your trickor-treaters glow sticks or putting reflective tape on their costumes, the more visible they are, the better. If you happen to be the one behind the wheel, keep a close eye out for kids darting across the streets toward the next house on their route, especially between 5:30 and 9:30 p.m. Speaking of routes, parents can check their local sex offender registries online to make sure they dont show up on their trick-or-treat routes. Carefully pre-plan your route and stick to well-lit areas and neighborhoods youre familiar with. Always walk on the sidewalks and try to avoid traveling on the streets. Masks can obstruct a childs vision, so use face paint instead to complement costumes. Before you start applying makeup or paint, check the list of ingredients to make sure they dont contain toxins or allergens. If you send your teenagers or older kids out by themselves, designate a time that they will return home. Finally, The Lookout staff strongly suggests not eating homemade treats from strangers. Only eat wrapped candies and make sure the wrappers arent broken because they may have been tampered with. Enjoy these safety tips. The Lookout staff wishes you all a spooky Halloween!

Classified Advertising
ATTENTION LCC STUDENTS! Now hiring students to raise money for Public TV and the Arts. Evening and weekend hours. Earn $8-$12 per hour. Call 517-332-1501 today for an interview! APARTMENT FOR RENT 920 S. Washington Ave., Lansing. Walking distance to downtown LCC campus. Studio apartment, $590 per month. Price includes air conditioning, dishwasher, parking, heat, water, cable TV and internet. Smoking and cats allowed. Private balcony. Community has internet cafe, fitness center and pool. Located on river trail. Contact Beverly Hynes at 517-484-9023. COOL CAR FOR SALE 1991 Mercury Grand Marquis. Maroon. Less than 85,000 actual miles. Luxury car driven for past decade by a little old lady. Runs but needs muffler and some engine work. $1,800 or best offer. Call 517-525-0706. PLACE YOUR AD HERE Advertising in The Lookouts classified section is inexpensive and effective. Cost is just $8.50 for 20 words or less. Additional words are 50 cents. Call 483-1295. THE UNDYING GOD This is the first published book from Nathan Wilson, associate editor of The Lookout. It is a fantasy novel about the dangers of radical ideology. Preview book at nrwilson. com or call 517-896-9504 to purchase a copy at $8. NASCAR MEMORABILIA Two brand new Dale Earnhardt Jr. hats, $7 each. Ten commemorative miniature racecars from the Michigan International Speedways from 2005 to 2009, all brand new and in box, $5 each. Buy both hats and all the cars for $45! Call 517-483-1291. PINBALL MACHINE Game Plan 1979 Sharpshooter solid state game. Old western theme. Very fast and fun. Four players. $500. Call 517-589-5273 and leave a message. 1982 TOPPS BASEBALL SET Complete set of 792 cards, all in mint condition. Cal Ripken rookie card and many Hall-of-Famers including Nolan Ryan, Johnny Bench, Carl Yastrzemski and Rickey Henderson. $100 firm. Call 517-483-1291 daytime.

Building a strong future and refusing to settle for less

According to The Opportunity Nation Coalition, almost 15 percent of American youth between the ages of 16 and 24 are neither in school or possess a job. That amounts to almost 6 million people falling behind in a world that is quickly evolving and doesnt stop for anyone. What disturbs me even more is what the coalitions study revealed about families living in poverty. According to the study, 49 states have seen an increase in the number of families living in poverty, and the median household incomes have fallen in 45 states over the last year. I believe the challenges facing Americas youth are only going to get worse in the coming years, especially if their education and professional experience are lacking. The only sound advice I can give to people is to get an education as early as you can and never give up. Of course its easier to drop out of high school or college because its too costly or websites for job searching include careerbuilding.com, jobs2careers.com, snagajob.com and mitalent.org. Also be sure to check out LCCs Career and Employment Services JobLink on lcc.edu. Plenty of job opportunities from the Lansing area are posted there. Get started early on crafting a professional looking resume and dont be afraid to ask for help. Another pair of eyes can help review your resume and find ways to make it pop out at employers. Creating a professional profile on linkedin.com can help you network with other professionals in your area as well. In the end, I think the most important factor in determining ones future is perseverance. If you want everything handed to you while putting in the minimum amount of work, you wont get far. But if youre willing to put in the effort and do everything in your power to succeed, chances are you will be rewarded in life.

I am invincible!

challenging, but you are handicapping your future by doing so. There have been times when Ive felt like Im pouring my time and money into classes that didnt teach me anything at all. Despite my frustration, I do what I have to in order to complete my degree and set myself on the path to a fulltime career. But even a fancy college degree doesnt guarantee that you will be swamped with interviews and job offers. Sometimes employers care more about your past experience than your Ph.D. If you already have your degree down, a few great

What will you be for Halloween?

Nathan Wilson Jamie Bozack Sarah Spohn Richard Schenck Suzanna Powers

thelookout
Lansing Community Colleges Independent Student Newspaper since 1959

Nikki Nicolaou

Jeremy Kohn

Lurah Peterson

Larry Hook

Associate Editor Paginator Staff Writer Editor in Chief Photo Editor A & E Editor Adviser Sports Editor Advertising Manager wilso162@mail.lcc.edu bozackj@mail.lcc.edu spohns1@mail.lcc.edu schen1@mail.lcc.edu powerss5@mail.lcc.edu nicolaon@mail.lcc.edu kohnj2@mail.lcc.edu petersl8@mail.lcc.edu hookl@lcc.edu Pyramid Head. Tina Fey being Walter White. A hobo. Ramona Flowers. Patty Mayonnaise. Captain Jack Captain Hook. A valet; Harkness. Sarah Palin. Ill be working.